Trump says his 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery will double as a ‘Military Complex.’ Then he explained what would be stored inside

President Donald Trump on Sunday offered a fresh justification for a planned 250-foot triumphal arch across from Arlington National Cemetery, saying the structure would also serve as a “top grade Military Complex.”

In a Truth Social post, Trump stated the facility would “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 added, “There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World.” CNN reported that multiple sources working with the administration on the project said that the statement took them by surprise.

Reviews, lawsuits, and site concerns remain around the planned arch

The arch is part of a broader set of projects Trump is pursuing in Washington, D.C., and those plans have drawn legal challenges from preservationists and others. The national-security rationale he used for the arch is similar to the argument he has made for a White House ballroom on the site of the former East Wing.

The site under discussion is a traffic circle near a bridge linking Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Veterans who have sued to block construction argue that the tall structure, including its observation deck, would interrupt the view from the Lincoln Memorial toward Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee memorial.

How the newest description of the project will affect approvals is unclear. That military-complex language did not appear in the designs previously submitted to the Commission of Fine Arts or the National Capital Planning Commission, the agencies that review architecture and design changes in the capital.

Ed Stierli of the National Parks Conservation Association told CNN, “The plan for the Arch the President is announcing is a completely different one than what the government has presented thus far.” He also said, “The location is reckless, it’s already deeply unpopular with veterans and the public, and regardless of what is inside of the Arch, it still has to follow the law.”

The Commission of Fine Arts has already given final approval to the original design. The administration has indicated it wants a final decision from the National Capital Planning Commission at the commission’s November meeting. 

A Section 106 review required to assess effects on historic properties is still incomplete. Officials have signaled they want to speed that process by asking consulting parties to accept a draft Memorandum of Agreement released last week.

The updated plans have not received the public review that earlier versions did. A source involved in the work said people should be more concerned if munitions and explosives might be stored in a busy traffic circle. 

Last month, a National Park Service report concluded the arch would have “adverse” effects on dozens of historic landmarks and would change the “design continuity” of well-known Washington views. That report also said the project has to remain at the proposed Potomac River site because it is “inherently location dependent” and “not interchangeable” with another location.

On September 3, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said excavation would start “over the next two-week period.” A day later, government lawyers said in a court filing that the planned work is an archeological survey intended to “ensure compliance with statutes such as the National Historic Preservation Act.” As of writing, there has been no visible construction at the site.

The Federal Aviation Administration said last week the structure will not interfere with flights into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. In August, the National Park Service began referring to the planned observation deck as a “military observation deck” rather than a tourist deck. That wording change was not announced publicly.