President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, that he plans to redesign a proposed "Triumphal Arch" in the Washington, D.C., area to include a military complex. According to a post by the president on Truth Social, the structure will be designed to host drones and snipers while providing storage for ammunition. Trump stated the change was made at the request of the U.S. military for reasons of "national security."
The project, which is planned for a roundabout between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, would stand 250 feet tall. Trump said the complex would have the ability to use large numbers of drones and would station snipers on both the roof and plaza areas. A Pentagon spokesperson said the department had no information to provide beyond the president's post, and the White House declined further comment.
This announcement follows earlier plans to break ground on the arch in the coming weeks. The project has already cleared several regulatory steps, including approval from the Commission of Fine Arts in April and preliminary site approval from the National Capital Planning Commission in July. Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined the arch would not pose a hazard to aircraft despite its proximity to Reagan National Airport.
The arch has faced legal challenges from historians and veterans, and Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) expressed opposition to the plan on social media. This is the second time the Trump administration has designated a Washington construction project as a national security necessity. A previous project involving a White House ballroom and an underground military complex faced a lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, but the Supreme Court ruled in August that the project could proceed.
The project sets a precedent for how the executive branch utilizes "national security" designations to address land-use and historic preservation challenges. The Supreme Court's August ruling on the White House ballroom suggests that third-party organizations may lack the legal standing to block such projects. Renters and homeowners in Rep. Beyer’s district, which includes Arlington, would be impacted by the proximity of a 250-foot military complex and any associated changes to local security.
The next steps for the project remain contingent on how these new military specifications affect previous regulatory approvals. While the administration originally planned to break ground in late September or October, it is not yet known if the redesign will require new hearings before the Commission of Fine Arts or the National Capital Planning Commission. Opponents in Congress, such as Rep. Beyer, have indicated they will attempt to stop the project, though specific legislative or court dates have not yet been scheduled following this latest announcement.