As part of his whirlwind effort to reshape the nation’s capital in his own image, President Trump has been pushing for the construction of a massive, triumphal arch between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. But veterans and historic preservation groups have pushed back against the proposed 250-foot structure, which would be nearly as tall as the U.S. Capitol Building, and an analysis by the National Park Service last month concluded that the arch would change the skyline of the city and impinge on views of other monuments nearby.
Never one to back down, on Sunday Trump changed the way he is making his case for the arch. While last year he admitted to a reporter that the arch was a tribute to himself – “Who’s it for?” the reporter asked. “Me. It’s going to be beautiful,” Trump replied – he now says that it will be built for active use by the 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," Trump wrote on his social media platform on Sunday. The complex will be a serious military installation that 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.”
Perhaps not coincidentally, the change in communications strategy mirrors how Trump altered his approach to the ballroom he is constructing next to the White House, which he now describes as a vital military complex rather than a fancy banquet hall. While a judge temporarily halted construction on the ballroom itself earlier this year amid legal challenges, construction on the underground portion, which will house military and medical facilities, was allowed to continue, and the courts rarely push back when a president cites national security as a reason for doing something.
Lawmakers aren’t sure: Plenty of critics have questioned the arch, and on Monday a Republican lawmaker said he has his doubts about the project.
“There’s a lot of things that we need the military funding for — in fact, we’re short on military funding right now,” Rep. Mike Simpson, who sits on the Appropriations Committee, told reporters at the Capitol. “If it was my choice, I wouldn’t put any of that money into the arch,” he added, referring to Pentagon funding.
The Idaho Republican said that if the Defense Department says it needs the arch, then lawmakers should debate the issue while recognizing that there are other priorities. And if they decide to back the project, then it should be funded through normal channels.
“I hope if they decide to do it, that they would come to Congress and ask for an appropriation for it if they’re going to use appropriated dollars to do it,” Simpson said.
One of Trump’s leading Democratic critics chimed in, too. “Does Trump understand no one wants his stupid arch?” Rep. Jamie Raskin said on X. “Dressing it up as a military necessity doesn’t help. America is sick of the military being used as an excuse for Trump’s architectural whims and narcissistic fancies.”
The bottom line: Trump wants his arch, and tying it to the military could help him make his case for building it. Still, there are serious questions about funding and permissions, and the courts could slow the project as various legal challenges play out.