US President Donald Trump said that his planned triumphal arch in Washington will be redesigned as a “military complex“ with the ability to house drones, snipers and ammunition.
Trump wrote this on the social network Truth Social. In his post, he indicated that he made the decision at the “urgent request“ of the US armed forces and for reasons of national security.
According to him, the project will be used to “storage“ and “rapidly activate“ a large number of drones, as well as for sniper positions on the roof and in the square in front of the future arch. He also added that the complex will hold “large quantities“ sniper ammunition.
The project already has initial approval
In July, the federal Commission on Fine Arts gave preliminary approval to the 76-meter arch, which is to be built near the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, according to information cited by the Associated Press.
According to the same source, the project is already the subject of a legal challenge. A group of veterans and an architectural historian argue that it requires approval from Congress. Their lawyer, Nicolas Sansone, told The Associated Press that the president's attempt to present the project as a national security issue does not change the fundamental problem, in their opinion.
The Pentagon, quoted by The Associated Press, said it had no additional information beyond the president's statement.
The planned arch is part of Trump's broader construction initiatives in Washington, D.C., which include a project for a new White House ballroom. In early September, he said that the reconstruction should be completed by the summer of 2028.
Sources: European Truth, Associated Press, Truth Social