Trump described the proposed Washington arch as a 'military complex' with drones and snipers.
Why it matters: The project is still pending federal review, so Trump’s framing sharpens questions about what can be built and used on the site. It also puts a proposed monument near Arlington National Cemetery and Reagan National Airport into a more sensitive legal and security debate.
- In a Sept. 20 post, Trump called the planned arch a 'top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch.'
- He said it would have room to 'house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers.'
- The 250-foot arch is planned for Memorial Circle near the Arlington Memorial Bridge, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
- The National Capital Planning Commission gave preliminary approval on July 9, but said it was not final approval.
President Donald Trump said the proposed Washington arch should be treated as more than a memorial. In a Sept. 20 post, he described it as a 'top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch' and said it would have room to 'house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers'.
The project is planned for Memorial Circle near the Arlington Memorial Bridge, in the corridor between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The National Capital Planning Commission gave preliminary approval on July 9, but said that action was not final approval in its record of the project.
The National Park Service opened a Section 106 Assessment of Effects review on July 16 and later invited additional public comment on the report under the National Historic Preservation Act. Section 106 requires federal agencies to review effects on historic properties before moving ahead.
The site is also near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The Park Service says drones are prohibited from launching, landing or operating in National Mall and Memorial Parks without authorization in that area. Rep. Don Beyer said a drone launch site there would be 'stupid, dangerous, and unworkable.'
A lawsuit filed by three veterans and an architectural historian is seeking to block the arch in U.S. District Court, arguing Congress must approve it. Their lawyer, Nicolas Sansone, said the administration's national security rationale does not cure what he called the project's fundamental illegality.
By the numbers
- 250 feet - the planned height of the arch.
- July 9 - the date the National Capital Planning Commission gave preliminary approval.
- July 16 - the date the National Park Service opened its Section 106 review.
Yes, but: The project still faces federal review and a lawsuit, so Trump’s proposed security use is not approved.
What's next: The National Park Service review and the lawsuit in U.S. District Court could determine whether the project advances.