Trump plans drones, snipers and ammunition hub inside Washington’s proposed triumphal arch

New Delhi: The US president, Donald Trump, has said his proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery will double as a military facility capable of deploying drones and accommodating snipers. The 250-foot monument, conceived to mark 250 years of American independence, would also contain substantial stocks of sniper ammunition under the revised plan announced on Sunday.

In a post on his Truth Social, Trump said he had agreed to convert the structure into what he described as a “top-grade military complex” following a strong request from the US military. He said drones could be stored and rapidly deployed from the site, with sniper positions established on both the roof and surrounding plaza.

The president cited national security as the reason for combining a heavily secured operational facility with a ceremonial monument but did not identify a specific threat. The Pentagon and the White House had not provided further operational details or publicly confirmed the military’s request when the announcement was reported.

The proposal represents a major expansion of the arch’s original purpose as a commemorative gateway to the US capital. Plans published by the National Park Service describe the monument as a celebration of American independence and the country’s founding principles, with its design drawing on the Roman tradition of erecting arches to honour civic and military achievement.

The structure is proposed for Memorial Circle, at the western end of Arlington Memorial Bridge and close to the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. The location forms part of a symbolic corridor linking the cemetery with the Lincoln Memorial across the Potomac river.

At 250 feet, or about 76 metres, the proposed arch would be substantially taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which rises to roughly 50 metres. Trump has argued that Washington lacks the kind of grand triumphal entrance found in several other national capitals and has said the American structure should be the largest and most prominent of its kind.

The plan has, however, faced objections over its scale, location, legal authorization and possible effect on protected historic landscapes. Three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian have challenged the project in court, arguing that it requires congressional authorization and fuller scrutiny by federal planning agencies.

The US Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by Trump, has offered preliminary support for the project, but the arch has not completed all the stages needed for construction. The National Capital Planning Commission is expected to consider the proposal again, and the National Park Service has acknowledged that the project could adversely affect historic properties.

Its proximity to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has also raised aviation-safety questions. The proposed site is about 3,000 feet from the airport and lies near a heavily used approach and departure corridor, prompting concern from some aviation specialists and lawmakers.

The Federal Aviation Administration has nevertheless determined that the arch would not create a hazard to air navigation if specified visibility measures are incorporated. These include floodlighting and an “eternal flame” at the top of the structure to make it conspicuous to pilots, although the determination remains subject to a petition period.

Questions also remain over how a publicly accessible monument would be reconciled with the security requirements of storing weapons, ammunition and operational drones. Neither Trump nor the defence department has explained who would control the facility, what types of drones would be based there or how access to the surrounding plaza would be managed.

The arch is one of several large projects through which Trump is seeking to reshape Washington’s monumental and ceremonial landscape. They include a new White House ballroom, changes at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and work on other prominent public spaces – initiatives that supporters describe as beautification but critics regard as disruptive to the capital’s historic character.

Trump’s latest announcement adds a military and security dimension to a project that was previously presented principally as a national memorial. It could also bring additional regulatory, legal and operational scrutiny before construction is allowed to begin.