Trump wants to use Washington arch as military complex for drones and snipers

Donald Trump says the planned 76-metre arch near Washington doubles as a military complex with drones and snipers, though he gives no specific threat.

FILE - A mockup of President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch stands at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, June 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jen Golbeck, File)

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday (Sep 20) the triumphal arch he plans to build near Washington would double as a " military complex " housing drones and snipers , making it the second major construction project he has sought to justify on national security grounds.

The move, which Trump said came at the military 's request, echoed the national security rationale he has use d to defend the roughly US$400 million ballroom complex being built on the site of the White Ho use 's former East Wing. He did not identify any specific threats.

The arch and ballroom are part of Trump 's broader effort to remake the nation's capital, including the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the redevelopment of a golf course in East Potomac Park, and a push to add his name to the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The initiatives have drawn criticism from preservationists and others who argue they would alter some of Washington 's most prominent historic l and marks.

In a social media post, Trump said that at the "strong request" of the military he had agreed to turn the planned 76-meter arch "into a top grade Military Complex /Triumphal Arch , to ho use , store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones , plus Snipers , on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage."

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less A US military official told Reuters that the Defense Department had nothing to add beyond Trump 's social media post. The White Ho use did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump did not elaborate on why such capabilities would be needed at the arch , modeled on Paris' Arc de Triomphe and sited near Arlington National Cemetery, just across the Potomac River from Washington . He has similarly recast the ballroom as a national security project, with plans for a drone facility, bomb shelters and other military installations intended to protect Washington .

A US military official told Reuters that the Defense Department had nothing to add beyond Trump 's social media post. The White Ho use did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump did not elaborate on why such capabilities would be needed at the arch , modeled on Paris' Arc de Triomphe and sited near Arlington National Cemetery, just across the Potomac River from Washington . He has similarly recast the ballroom as a national security project, with plans for a drone facility, bomb shelters and other military installations intended to protect Washington .

EXPERT QUESTIONS MILITARY RATIONALE

Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel, said that while there was a stronger case for enhancing security at the White Ho use , including exp and ing underground bunker facilities, the rationale for militarizing the arch was harder to discern.

Cancian said the move appeared aimed at countering opposition to the monument, which is planned for a traffic circle just 1 mile (1.6 km) from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, an active Army installation, and 2 miles from the Pentagon.

"It looks like it's tacked on in order to strengthen the rationale for construction," Cancian, a senior adviser with the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington -based think tank, told Reuters. "There is this military facility long established with a variety of military capabilities one mile away. So why you need this one isn't clear."

Cancian also said that storing ammunition at the arch would create logistical challenges and questioned the value of positioning snipers there.

LEGAL CHALLENGES MOUNT

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan earlier this month ordered the Trump administration to give 48 hours' notice before engaging in any activity on the site of the arch , which Trump proposed to mark the nation's 250th anniversary. Her ruling came a day after the Interior Department announced plans to move forward with work on the arch despite legal challenges and the lack of final approval from a government planning authority.

Aviation experts have raised safety concerns given its proximity to Reagan Washington National Airport while veterans have sued to block the arch , arguing it would destroy the carefully designed historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The Federal Aviation Administration said last week that the arch would not pose a hazard to aircraft as long as the structure is topped with an "eternal flame."

US Representative Don Beyer, a Democrat whose Virginia district includes Arlington National Cemetery, posted on Sunday that operating drones so close to the airport would be dangerous and impractical, and suggested the move was aimed at bolstering the administration's legal position.

" Trump clearly expects to lose a lawsuit and therefore wants to set up a pretext to argue that the arch is tied to national security," Beyer, who has introduced legislation to block the arch 's construction, wrote in a social media post.

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唐纳德·特朗普表示，计划在华盛顿附近建造的76米高的拱门同时也是一个军事设施，配备无人机和狙击手，但他没有给出具体的威胁。

（档案照片）2026年6月27日，在华盛顿国家广场举行的美国州博览会上，唐纳德·特朗普总统提议的凯旋门模型矗立在那里。（美联社照片/珍·戈尔贝克，档案照片）

华盛顿：美国总统唐纳德·特朗普周日（9月20日）表示，他计划在华盛顿附近建造的凯旋门将兼作“军事综合体”，用于安置无人机和狙击手，这是他以国家安全为由试图证明其合理性的第二个大型建设项目。

特朗普称此举是应军方要求，这与他此前为在白宫原东翼旧址上兴建的价值约4亿美元的宴会厅综合体辩护时所采用的国家安全理由如出一辙。他并未指出任何具体威胁。

拱门和宴会厅是特朗普重塑美国首都计划的一部分，该计划还包括翻新林肯纪念堂倒影池、重建东波托马克公园的高尔夫球场，以及推动将他的名字添加到约翰·肯尼迪表演艺术中心。这些举措招致了文物保护人士和其他人士的批评，他们认为这些举措会改变华盛顿一些最著名的历史地标。

特朗普在社交媒体上发帖称，应军方“强烈要求”，他已同意将计划建造的76米高的拱门“改造成一流的军事综合体/凯旋门，用于在屋顶和广场区域部署、储存和快速使用大量无人机和狙击手，并额外储存大量狙击弹药。”

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小谜题，脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 一位美国军方官员告诉路透社，国防部除了特朗普的社交媒体帖子外，没有其他补充。白宫方面没有立即回应置评请求。特朗普没有详细说明为什么这座仿照巴黎凯旋门建造、位于阿灵顿国家公墓附近（波托马克河对岸，与华盛顿隔河相望）的拱门需要这样的设施。他同样将宴会厅重新定位为一个国家安全项目，计划建造无人机设施、防空洞和其他旨在保护华盛顿的军事设施。

一位美国军方官员告诉路透社，国防部除了特朗普的社交媒体帖子外，没有其他补充。白宫方面尚未对此事作出回应。

特朗普并未详细说明为何这座仿照巴黎凯旋门建造、位于阿灵顿国家公墓附近、波托马克河对岸的拱门需要具备此类能力。他同样将宴会厅重新定位为国家安全项目，计划建造无人机设施、防空洞和其他旨在保护华盛顿的军事设施。

专家质疑军事理由

退役海军陆战队上校马克·坎西安表示，虽然加强白宫安保的理由更加充分，包括扩建和建造地下掩体设施，但将拱门军事化的理由却难以辨别。

坎西安表示，此举似乎是为了反击对该纪念碑的反对意见。该纪念碑计划建在一个环岛内，距离现役陆军基地迈尔-亨德森霍尔联合基地仅 1 英里（1.6 公里），距离五角大楼 2 英里。

“这看起来像是为了强化建设理由而强加的，”华盛顿智库战略与国际研究中心国防与安全部高级顾问坎西安告诉路透社。“一英里外就有一个历史悠久的军事设施，具备各种军事能力。所以，为什么还需要这个新的设施，这一点并不清楚。”

坎西安还表示，在拱门处储存弹药会造成后勤方面的挑战，并质疑在那里部署狙击手的价值。

法律挑战不断增加

美国地区法官塔尼亚·楚特坎本月初下令，特朗普政府在拱门工地开展任何活动前，必须提前48小时发出通知。该拱门是特朗普提议建造的，旨在纪念美国建国250周年。此前一天，尽管面临法律挑战且尚未获得政府规划部门的最终批准，内政部仍宣布计划推进拱门建设。

鉴于该拱门靠近里根华盛顿国家机场，航空专家提出了安全方面的担忧；而退伍军人则提起诉讼，试图阻止拱门的建造，他们认为拱门会破坏林肯纪念堂和阿灵顿国家公墓之间精心设计的历史视线。

美国联邦航空管理局上周表示，只要拱门顶部有“永恒之火”，就不会对飞机构成危险。

美国众议员唐·拜尔（Don Beyer）是民主党人，他的弗吉尼亚州选区包括阿灵顿国家公墓。他在周日发帖称，在机场附近操作无人机既危险又不切实际，并暗示此举旨在加强政府的法律立场。

“特朗普显然预料到自己会输掉官司，因此想找个借口，声称拱门与国家安全有关，”贝耶尔在社交媒体上发帖写道。贝耶尔曾提出立法阻止拱门的建造。

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