Trump says his planned arch to double as military base
Vehicles drive past along the Memorial Bridge near Memorial Circle in Arlington, Virginia, the proposed site for US President Donald Trump's "Triumphal Arch".
WASHINGTON – A massive arch that US President Donald Trump wants to build on a historic location in Washington will double as a base for drones and snipers, he announced on Sept 20.
“I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch... into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, “to house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage”.
“There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World. Out of the 59 top cities and Capitals, Washington, DC, IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD THAT DOES NOT HAVE A TRIUMPHAL ARCH, but it will now and, by far, the greatest of them all!” the US leader added.
The proposed giant structure along the Potomac River near the Arlington National Cemetery is part of Trump’s drive to put his personal stamp on the capital.
The Trump administration has not sought congressional input for such a major change to the US capital.
Given its massive size, it would obscure the sight lines between the Lincoln Memorial, one of Washington’s iconic landmarks, and Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place for hundreds of thousands of American service members.
Since returning to power in January 2025, Trump has launched a series of renovation projects, several of which have led to legal disputes.
They include a massive and costly ballroom that is being built at the White House, for which Trump had an entire wing of the presidential mansion demolished.
Another project is the laborious renovation of the Reflecting Pool, a massive rectangular water basin on the National Mall.
For a time, Trump also had his name placed on the walls of the Kennedy Center, the culture and arts institute named after assassinated president John F. Kennedy, before a judge reversed the move. AFP
