Washington — President Trump said on Sunday that he has agreed to convert plans for a massive triumphal arch into a “top grade Military Complex,” equipped with snipers and drone storage.

“At the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch, planned since the Civil War Era many years ago, at the Receptive Circle adjoining the Arlington Memorial Bridge, into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch,” Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 

Work on the 250-foot-tall arch was expected to begin this month, with plans to start excavation on the site across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., on a traffic circle near Arlington National Cemetery. The arch is proposed to be clad in granite and topped with three golden statues and have an observation deck.  

The president said Sunday that the arch would “house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas,” along with holding “large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage.”

Mr. Trump said there will be “no facility like this anywhere in the World.” 

“Out of the 59 top cities and Capitals, Washington, D.C., IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD THAT DOES NOT HAVE A TRIUMPHAL ARCH, but it will now and, by far, the greatest of them all!” he added. 

The administration has said that the arch’s development, which comes as part of a broader effort by the president to put his architectural stamp on the nation’s capital, will recognize the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year. But it’s drawn pushback amid concerns that the monument’s height could interfere with sightlines between major D.C. monuments and Arlington National Cemetery, along with its proximity to Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration determined on Friday that the arch poses no hazard to flights coming into and departing from the nearby airport, despite concerns from Democratic lawmakers that the project would further complicate an already complex airspace.