Trump wants to use Washington arch as military complex for drones and snipers

US President Donald Trump announced on September 20 that the planned 76-meter arch near Washington would serve as a military complex, equipped with drones and snipers. The arch, modeled after Paris's Arc de Triomphe, would be located near Arlington National Cemetery, just across the Potomac River from Washington. Trump claimed the military requested this addition, likening it to the national security rationale behind a $400 million ballroom complex built on the former East Wing site of the White House. He did not identify specific threats.

Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel, argued that the rationale for militarizing the arch was unclear, suggesting it was aimed at countering opposition to the monument and bolstering the administration's legal position. Aviation experts voiced safety concerns due to the arch's proximity to Reagan Washington National Airport. Veterans also sued to block the arch, claiming it would destroy Washington's historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the arch would not pose a hazard to aircraft if topped with an eternal flame. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide 48 hours' notice before any activity on the site, amid legal challenges and the lack of final approval from a government planning authority.