Trump says planned arch would become a military complex for drones and snipers

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that a massive arch he wants to build between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery would become a “top grade military complex” able to accommodate drones and snipers while storing ammunition.

In a social-media post, Trump said he had agreed at the military’s “strong request” to convert the planned 250-foot-tall (76-metre) memorial arch into a “top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch.” He said it would house and store large numbers of drones and allow their rapid use, with snipers on the roof and plaza areas and large quantities of sniper ammunition held in storage.

The arch is proposed for a circle beside Memorial Bridge and is among several projects Trump is pursuing in Washington. Others include a White House ballroom, renaming and renovating the Kennedy Center, refurbishing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and rebuilding a golf course in East Potomac Park, a project that could significantly reduce public access to running and cycling paths. Trump has also called the new White House ballroom a “military complex,” arguing it is needed for national security.