Donald Trump announced this Sunday that the triumphal arch he plans to build in Washington will be transformed into a military facility capable of housing drones, snipers, and large stockpiles of ammunition.
The president announced it through his Truth Social network, where he stated that the decision comes in response to a direct request from the U.S. military. "At the express request of the Armed Forces of the United States, and for reasons of national security, I have agreed to transform the magnificent Arc de Triomphe into a state-of-the-art military complex and arch of triumph," he wrote.
In the same message, Trump outlined the operational capabilities that the structure would have: "it will allow for the housing, storage, and rapid deployment of a large number of drones and snipers (both on the deck and in the square), as well as the capacity to store large amounts of ammunition for snipers."
The project, officially named "Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Platform," involves a structure of 76 meters in height—taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris—located on Columbia Island, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The design, created by the firm Harrison Design from Atlanta, features a winged figure with a torch at the top, two golden eagles, a granite façade, and an observation platform with 360-degree views. Golden inscriptions with phrases such as "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice for All" would complete the ensemble.
Trump did not miss the opportunity to emphasize the uniqueness of the project. “There will be no installation like it in the entire world,” he stated, adding that Washington is “the only one of the 59 major cities and capitals that does not have a triumphal arch; but now it will have one that will be, by far, the grandest of all!”
The announcement this Sunday marks a significant escalation from the original concept of a commemorative monument and comes amidst a long chain of legal obstacles. The Washington Fine Arts Commission approved the design in April 2026, but the project still lacks approval from the National Capital Planning Commission and faces lawsuits from Vietnam veterans and conservation groups, who argue that the work requires authorization from Congress under the Commemorative Works Act of 1986.
To this, the proximity to Ronald Reagan National Airport, about 900 meters from the planned location, is added. On September 18, the Federal Aviation Administration cleared this obstacle by determining that the structure would not pose a danger to aviation, provided it includes a "non-standard eternal flame" at the top and spotlights at the base.
Critics of the project go beyond legal concerns. Architects, preservationists, and veterans point out that the construction would disrupt the historical and visual axis between the Lincoln Memorial, the Arlington Memorial Bridge, and the military cemetery, undermining the solemnity of one of the most symbolic spaces in the capital.
The arch is added to other controversial projects promoted by Trump in Washington, including the partial demolition of the East Wing of the White House to build a ballroom of over 8,300 square meters at a cost of 400 million dollars, and the blue painting of the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial for 1.5 million dollars. Several of these initiatives have reached the courts in an attempt to halt them.
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