President Donald Trump asserted on social media Sunday that his proposed Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C., will double as a “top grade Military Complex,” accommodating drones and sniper operations. The project, which has faced legal hurdles from veterans and preservationists, is currently being challenged in court over concerns it would negatively impact views of Arlington National Cemetery.
Trump wrote that the U.S. military requested the conversion of the arch, a structure planned since the Civil War era, to include storage and rapid deployment capabilities for large numbers of drones. He added that the roof and plaza areas would be used for snipers and that ammunition would be held in storage nearby.
The administration recently acknowledged that the arch, situated along the Potomac River at the foot of the cemetery, would cause “adverse effects” on the surrounding landscape and views. However, officials stated these impacts cannot be fully avoided due to the site’s central role in the project.
This is not the first time Trump has framed one of his projects with national security justifications. Last month, he described the White House ballroom as part of a “highly integrated military complex.” In that case, critics argued the administration was using similar rhetoric to rush completion before judicial review could intervene.
Vietnam War veterans and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have filed lawsuits seeking to block construction. The veterans asked a federal judge earlier this month for a temporary restraining order against excavation work, arguing the arch lacks congressional authorization and would obstruct historic views.
ABC News has contacted the Pentagon for comment regarding the president’s claim of a military request for the facility.
Wait, snipers on a tourist monument? The logic here is bizarre. Is this really the national security strategy now?
Using Arlington Cemetery as a drone base feels deeply disrespectful. This militarizes sacred ground for political vanity.