Trump adds sniper, drone complex to DC triumphal arch plan — SkimNews
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- Trump announced via a Sunday Truth Social post that his planned triumphal arch will double as a "top grade" military complex housing drones, snipers on the roof and plaza, and large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage
- The redesign comes at the "strong request" of the US military and for "national security purposes," according to Trump's post, which claimed "there will be no facility like this anywhere in the World"
- The 250-foot arch is planned for a site across the Potomac River from Washington DC, just outside Arlington National Cemetery, with construction expected to begin this month
- Renderings show a golden winged Lady Liberty statue flanked by two gold eagles, with "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice For All" inscribed in gold on either side
- At 250 feet, the structure would dwarf the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and reach half the height of the Washington Monument
- Trump did not provide updated construction details or timing, and it's unclear whether the military complex requires further approval; the BBC has contacted the Department of Defence for more information
- Trump has pursued multiple other DC construction projects in his second term, including a gilded Oval Office makeover, a ~$400m White House ballroom, paving over the Rose Garden, and renovating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Why it matters: Pairing a triumphal monument with active sniper positions and drone bays — at a site directly outside Arlington National Cemetery — converts a symbolic structure into a militarized installation, with no disclosed cost, timeline, or confirmed sign-off from the Department of Defence.
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