Trump triumphal arch to become "top grade military complex" for launching drones

US president Donald Trump has announced that the planned 250-foot-high triumphal arch in Washington DC, designed by Atlanta-based Harrison Design, will now be a military base with drones and snipers. According to Trump, who announced the plan in a Truth Social post yesterday, the change in the design was made at the request of the US military. "At the strong request of the United States military, and for national security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent triumphal arch... into a top grade military complex/triumphal arch," he said. Donald Trump has announced that the planned arch in Washington DC will become a "top grade military complex" Set to be built alongside the Arlington Memorial Bridge on the south bank of the Potomac River, the neoclassical arch is planned to be 250 feet high (76 metres) – nearly 100 feet (30 metres) higher than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Plans for the arch were first revealed last October, with US interior secretary Doug Burgum announcing that construct was about to begin earlier this month. The plans gained approval from the Commission of Fine Arts in May and the National Capital Planning Commission in July. It will be used to launch drones and house snipers According to Trump, the arch will now be used for the storage and deployment of "large numbers of drones", as well as a base for sniper units with "large quantities" of ammunition. "[It will] house, 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," he said. Previously, the arch was planned as a tourist attraction topped with a publicly accessible viewpoint. Plans of the arch showed its interior spaces housing facilities for visitors, including galleries for exhibitions. It is unclear how these spaces will be impacted by the plans to use the structure for military purposes, or how the plans will impact the arch's planning approvals. Previously released plans of the arch do not include any military facilities Trump's decision to tie the construction of the monument to national security follows a similar move at the White House, where a ballroom is being built onto an extensive, underground military complex. Recently, the US Supreme Court ruled that construction can continue on the ballroom despite numerous attempts to halt progress on the building. Subscribe to our newsletters Your email address New! Dezeen Agenda US Sent on alternate Fridays, this US edition of Dezeen Agenda is a fortnightly newsletter rounding up everything you need to know from America, featuring news, projects and interviews with industry figures. Plus occasional updates and invitations to Dezeen events. New! Dezeen Showroom New Releases A quarterly newsletter rounding up a selection of recently launched products by designers and studios, published on Dezeen Showroom. Dezeen Debate Our most popular newsletter, formerly known as Dezeen Weekly, is sent every Tuesday and features a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Plus occasional updates on Dezeen’s services and breaking news. Dezeen Agenda Sent every Thursday and containing a selection of the most important news highlights. Plus occasional updates on Dezeen’s services and invitations to Dezeen events. Dezeen Daily A daily newsletter containing the latest stories from Dezeen. Dezeen In Depth Sent on the last Friday of every month, Dezeen in Depth features original feature articles, interviews and opinion pieces that delve deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design. Dezeen Jobs Daily updates on the latest design and architecture vacancies advertised on Dezeen Jobs. Plus occasional news. Dezeen Jobs Weekly Weekly updates on the latest design and architecture vacancies advertised on Dezeen Jobs. Plus occasional news. Dezeen Awards News about our Dezeen Awards programme, including entry deadlines and announcements. Plus occasional updates. Dezeen Events Guide News from Dezeen Events Guide, a listings guide covering the leading design-related events taking place around the world. Plus occasional updates and invitations to Dezeen events. Dezeen Awards China News about our Dezeen Awards China programme, including entry deadlines and announcements. Plus occasional updates. We will only use your email address to send you the newsletters you have requested. We will never give your details to anyone else without your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email, or by emailing us at [email protected]. For more details, please see our privacy notice. Thank you! You will shortly receive a welcome email so please check your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of every newsletter.