Trump says 'magnificent' Triumphal Arch in D.C. will also be ‘top grade’ weapons base for drones and snipers

An image and model of President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary are displayed during a public meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts at the National Building Museum on April 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Commission of Fine Arts voted unanimously to move forward with a proposed 250-foot arch informally dubbed the “Arc de Trump” that would sit in a roundabout near Memorial Bridge on the Arlington, Virginia side of the Potomac River between Arlington Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump announced that his proposed Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C., will double as a high-security military base equipped with drones and sniper ammunition. The monument is part of his broader initiatives to celebrate America’s 250^th birthday and “beautify” the nation’s capital.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, President Trump stated that the new 250-foot arch Triumphal Arch will not just be for looks, but will also house a “top-grade military complex” at the request of the armed forces

Trump Truth Social Post

“At the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch, planned since the Civil War Era many years ago, at the Receptive Circle adjoining the Arlington Memorial Bridge, into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch, 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,” Trump wrote. “There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World. Out of the 59 top cities and Capitals, Washington, D.C., 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! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Originally proposed in April, construction on the 250-foot monument was expected to break ground near Arlington National Cemetery.

 

However, the plans have been met with critics expressing worry that the massive arch will block views of major D.C. landmarks and the Arlington National Cemetery. Concerns have also been raised about its close proximity to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

Nonetheless, FAA cleared the arch on Friday, stating that it would not pose as a hazard to incoming or departing flights into DCA, according to CBS News.

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