US President Donald Trump said that the planned Triumphal Arch, 250 feet (76 meters) tall, in Washington will become a military complex. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote that the decision was made at the "strong request" of the armed forces and for national security purposes.
The arch, according to him, will house and store a large number of drones with the capability for their rapid use. Snipers will be positioned on the roof and in the area of the square, and significant stocks of sniper ammunition will also be stored there. Trump called the facility a "top-class military complex."
The arch project by the Arlington Memorial Bridge, next to Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial, was conceived as a monument for the 250th anniversary of the United States. Now it is acquiring a second purpose — similar to the rationale for building a ballroom costing about 400 million dollars on the site of the former East Wing of the White House.
The initiative drew criticism from historic preservation advocates. They point out that the structure will change the appearance of the capital's key monuments. Veterans have filed a lawsuit challenging the absence of congressional authorization and the violation of the sightline between the memorials.
Earlier, a judge ordered the administration to give 48 hours' notice of any work at the site. The Federal Aviation Administration approved the project on condition that signal lights be installed, but experts note the risks for flights near Reagan Airport.
What lies behind such a dual purpose for the monument in one of the most heavily guarded areas of the country?
Trump emphasized that Washington is the only one of the 59 leading capitals and cities of the world without a triumphal arch, and now it will appear, becoming "the greatest of them all."
