A ‘generational defense opportunity’: Hegseth offers full-throated endorsement of Trump’s arch amid legal battle

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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a federal judge that President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch is a “generational national defense opportunity” in a legal briefing arguing the project is vital to protecting the nation’s capital.

Originally proposed as a monument to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday, Trump last month debuted a new justification for building it, saying it would double as a tourist attraction and military complex where drones and ammunition could be stored and military snipers could be posted.

The surprise proposal for this additional use of the 250-foot arch came as the project – a personal endeavor of the president that has become a key part of his legacy – faces a slew of criticism and two lawsuits aimed at stopping its construction.

In a written declaration submitted Wednesday, Hegseth defended Trump’s new rationale for the planned structure at Memorial Circle, a busy traffic circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The location overlooks major national sites that are frequented by federal officials and its height will create elevation advantage and line-of-sight connectivity, while its central location will improve the ability to identify and assess potential threats, Hegseth argued.

“It will be utilized as a dual-purpose structure: a major national monument that also incorporates military utility to support Homeland defense,” he said. “The elevated position can also support authorized protective-overwatch and counter-sniper personnel by improving observational, situational awareness and coordination with other security elements.”

In addition to Hegseth, Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, also defended the need for the arch’s dual purpose, saying the location “provides opportunities for increased capability for information -sharing and logistical coordination.”

The full-throated endorsements for the arch’s potential national security uses from two cabinet members comes as the project is facing key tests to its progress.

Hegseth’s and Mullin’s statements were part of the government’s submissions in a lawsuit being heard in the US District Court for the District of Columbia aimed at stopping the arch’s construction.

On Friday, the court will hold its next hearing on the case, which was brought by veterans who argued the arch dishonors the memory of the fallen at Arlington National Cemetery by blocking key sight-lines and overlooking the burial grounds.

And next Thursday, the arch will be reviewed by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the last of two federal agencies overseeing architectural and design changes in Washington, D.C. that must approve the project.

If approved by NCPC, the administration has already said they will start construction as early as that same day.

However, final plans for the arch submitted to the NCPC for its November 5th meeting that were released last week included no mention of the military component .

The plans excluded features such as the drones and snipers that Trump described in September, and the contours of the arch in the plans did not appear to reflect a national security purpose. Instead, they describe the project as a “ceremonial gateway” to the nation’s capital.

Hegseth’s Wednesday filing stated that the military components would not require any structural modifications or alterations. “The security features will be fully integrated into the existing design,” he wrote.

Trump has also claimed the need for national security enhancements as a justification for his project to build a White House ballroom where the East Wing once stood.

吉姆·沃森/法新社/盖蒂图片社

美国国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯在一份法律简报中告诉联邦法官，唐纳德·特朗普总统提议的凯旋门是一个“几代人的国防机遇”，他认为该项目对于保护国家首都至关重要。

最初提议建造这座纪念碑是为了庆祝美国建国 250 周年，但特朗普上个月提出了建造它的新理由，称它将兼作旅游景点和军事综合体，可以储存无人机和弹药，还可以部署军事狙击手。

这项关于这座 250 英尺高拱门的额外用途的出人意料的提议，是在该项目（总统的个人事业，已成为他政治遗产的重要组成部分）面临大量批评和两起旨在阻止其建设的诉讼之际提出的。

在周三提交的一份书面声明中，赫格塞斯为特朗普在纪念环岛（林肯纪念堂和阿灵顿国家公墓之间的一个繁忙的交通环岛）计划建造的新建筑的理由进行了辩护。

赫格塞斯认为，该地点俯瞰着联邦官员经常出入的主要国家场所，其高度将创造高地优势和视线连通性，而其中心位置将提高识别和评估潜在威胁的能力。

他说：“它将被用作双用途建筑：既是重要的国家纪念碑，也具备军事功能，以支持国土防御。高地位置还可以通过提高观察能力、态势感知能力以及与其他安全部门的协调性，为授权的警戒巡逻和反狙击人员提供支持。”

除了赫格塞斯之外，国土安全部长马克韦恩·穆林也为拱门的双重用途辩护，称该地点“为提高信息共享和后勤协调能力提供了机会”。

两位内阁成员对该拱门在国家安全方面的潜在用途表示全力支持，而此时该项目正面临关键的进展考验。

赫格塞斯和穆林的声明是政府在哥伦比亚特区地方法院审理的一起旨在阻止拱门建设的诉讼中提交的证据的一部分。

周五，法院将就此案举行下一次听证会。该案由退伍军人提起，他们认为拱门阻挡了关键视线，俯瞰着阿灵顿国家公墓的墓地，是对阵亡将士的不敬。

下周四，国家首都规划委员会 (NCPC) 将对这座拱门进行审查，该委员会是负责监督华盛顿特区建筑和设计变更的两大联邦机构之一，必须批准该项目。

如果获得国家规划委员会的批准，政府方面已经表示，他们最早将于当天开始施工。

然而，上周公布的提交给国家规划委员会 11 月 5 日会议的拱门最终方案中，并未提及军事部分。

这些规划方案并未包含特朗普在9月份提到的无人机和狙击手等设施，而且方案中拱门的轮廓似乎也并非出于国家安全目的。相反，方案将该项目描述为通往美国首都的“礼仪性门户”。

赫格塞斯周三提交的文件称，这些军事部件无需任何结构上的修改或改动。“安全功能将完全融入现有设计中，”他写道。

特朗普还声称，为了加强国家安全，他计划在白宫东翼原址上建造一个宴会厅。