Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter on Friday, September 25, 2026, to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford, requesting they reject a plan to add military drone and sniper capabilities to a proposed commemorative arch in Washington, D.C. The request follows a social media announcement by President Donald Trump regarding the installation of drone launch and landing capabilities and snipers at the site.
The proposed 250-foot to 259-foot "Triumphal Arch" is planned for construction at Memorial Circle, between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. While initially presented as a monument for the United States’ 250th anniversary, President Trump stated over the weekend of September 19-20, 2026, that the structure would house drones and snipers on its roof and plaza. The site is located directly in the landing path for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
In her letter, Duckworth cited concerns over aviation safety and the failure of federal agencies to implement National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations following a January 2025 midair collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near DCA that killed 67 people. According to the NTSB, the FAA has only satisfactorily addressed three of 35 safety recommendations from that crash, while all 13 recommendations for the Pentagon remain open.
The January 2025 collision remains a primary benchmark for safety concerns in this specific corridor. While the FAA released an evaluation on September 25, 2026, stating the 250-foot physical structure itself would not pose a hazard to flights, the agency noted this assessment did not account for the operation of military drones.
National Park Service estimates suggest construction could last 20 hours per day for two to three years, requiring cranes up to 320 feet tall. Commercial jets fly as low as 500 feet above ground level on final approach to DCA.
Duckworth, who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation, has requested that the FAA and Pentagon provide answers by October 5, 2026, regarding which military entity requested the conversion and whether the FAA will reopen its safety study to include military operations. The FAA and Defense Department declined to comment on the specific arch plans, referring inquiries to the White House.