Trump's huge 250-foot D.C. arch will reportedly double as sniper base and drone hub

President Donald Trump's planned triumphal arch in Washington, D.C. is set to double as an active military installation, complete with sniper positions and drone storage, according to the president himself.

Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, revealing that the 250-foot structure will function as what he called a 'top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch'. He said the change came 'at the strong request of the United States Military', framing the addition as a matter of national security.

According to the post, the arch will 'house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas,' with the structure also set to hold 'large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage.'

The arch, which would stand between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial, has already drawn heavy criticism long before this latest twist.

At twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial, the proposed structure prompted a public backlash during its review process, with more than 100,000 people submitting comments to the National Park Service.

President Trump announced the arch will double as a "Military Complex" in a post on Truth Social. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

Why is Trump's D.C. arch facing a lawsuit?

Opposition to the project hasn't stayed limited to public comment.

A group of Vietnam War veterans, along with an architectural historian, filed a lawsuit arguing the arch would desecrate the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.

The suit also challenges Trump's authority to move ahead with construction without sign-off from Congress.

The legal pressure escalated earlier this month, when U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkin ordered the government to give the court 48 hours' notice before any activity begins on Memorial Circle.

Her order made clear that any construction or demolition carried out before the National Park Service grants final authorization would breach the court's ruling.

That order landed just a day after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on X that the administration intended to break ground on the arch within two weeks, despite the project still awaiting final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission and other federal reviews.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on X that the administration intended to break ground on the arch within two weeks (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

Trump used part of his Truth Social post to argue the arch fills a gap among world capitals, writing that out of 59 major cities, Washington, D.C. is the only one without a triumphal arch, but claimed that won't be the case for long, boasting it would be 'by far, the greatest of them all!'

The president has previously touted the arch's design, though the project's fate now hinges on the outcome of the ongoing legal battle and whether federal reviewers grant it final approval.