Snipers and Drones to Be Deployed Atop 'Trump Arch' ... "It Will Be the Greatest"

Design Incorporates Military Functions
Some Critics Call It a Legal Workaround

U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to build a 76-meter-tall triumphal arch near Washington, DC, is facing opposition. To push his project forward, President Trump has proposed that the arch be designated and used as a military facility.

On September 20 (local time), President Trump wrote on the social network service Truth Social, "At the strong request of the U.S. military and for national security purposes, I have agreed to convert the grand triumphal arch into a facility that combines advanced military capabilities."

According to President Trump’s new plan, snipers will be stationed atop the arch and throughout the plaza, and special facilities will be built to allow for the rapid deployment of multiple drones. Space will also be provided to store ammunition for the snipers.

U.S. President Donald Trump is advancing the design of the Washington DC Arch in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. Photo by AP Yonhap News

President Trump asserted, "Nowhere in the world is there a facility like this," adding that "Washington, DC is the only one among the world’s 59 major cities without a triumphal arch, but now it will have the most magnificent one in the world."

Some observers interpret the addition of military functions to the arch design as President Trump’s attempt to sidestep legal controversy, arguing that by citing national security purposes, the project could gain legitimacy. Previously, the Trump Administration also added a military function to the large banquet hall under construction at the White House.

The proposed arch is slated for construction between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, with Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport located nearby. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has concluded that the arch would not pose a hazard to aviation, opposition is mounting amid concerns it will harm the nation’s historic landscape. In particular, U.S. veterans’ organizations have filed a collective lawsuit requesting that the construction be halted.

President Trump had previously announced his plan to build the arch this year in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Although Washington, DC maintains a cityscape by limiting building heights to approximately 40 meters, this arch would far exceed the permissible limit.

The pinnacle of the arch will be adorned with a statue of a winged figure wearing a crown and holding a torch, reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty, flanked on both sides by two eagles with outstretched wings. Below, four lion sculptures will guard the arch, and all the statues are set to be gilded in accordance with President Trump’s personal preferences.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.