WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the project for a monumental Arch of Triumph in Washington, D.C., will be modified to incorporate military functions, stating that the change is being made for national security reasons.
In a post on his platform Truth Social, Trump stated that,
at the request of the U.S. military, he agreed to convert the project into a
“world-class military complex” combined with an Arch of Triumph.
According to the president, the structure would have the
capacity to house and deploy large numbers of drones, as well as include sniper
positions both on the roof and in the plaza areas. It would also include spaces
to store large quantities of ammunition for these devices.
The project envisions an arch approximately 250 feet tall
(76 meters), located near Memorial Bridge, between the Lincoln Memorial and
Arlington National Cemetery. The proposal had been presented as a large-scale
monument inspired by triumphal arches like the one in Paris.
Trump maintained that the transformation responds to
national security needs, although specific details about the threats that would
justify the addition of these military capabilities have not yet been made
public. The Pentagon, contacted after the announcement, indicated that it had
no additional information beyond what the president had stated.