Trump says his planned triumphal arch will double as a military complex to store ammunition

US President Donald Trump has remarked his proposed triumphal arch will double as a complex to store military equipment, complete with the ability to deploy snipers and drones.

Key points

• Construction on Trump's 250-foot arch, planned for a site throughout the Potomac River from Washington DC just outside the Arlington National Cemetery, was anticipated to commence this month.
• At that height, the structure would dwarf the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial nearby and be half as high as the Washington Monument.
• "There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World, " Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
• It will stand 250-feet (76m) from its base to the top of the golden lady statue.
• The BBC has contacted the Department of Defence for more information on the updated intends.

In a Sunday morning post, Trump remarked he is updating the aims at the "strong request" of the US military and for "national security purposes".

For context, the "top grade" military complex and arch 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 remarked.

He did not provide details on construction intends or timing, and it's not clear if he needs further approval for the facility.

"There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World, " Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He continued that out of "the 59 top cities and Capitals", Washington DC is "the only one in the world that does not have a triumphal arch", without specifying what those cities are.

In practice, a rendering of the design from earlier this year includes a golden, winged Lady Liberty on the top of the arch, flanked by two gold eagles, and with the phrases "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice for All" inscribed in gold on either side of the structure. It will stand 250-feet (76m) from its base to the top of the golden lady statue.

Notably, the BBC has contacted the Department of Defence for more information on the updated intends.

Trump has pursued a number of construction projects during his second term to revamp the US capital, including a gilded makeover of the Oval Office, constructing a White House ballroom estimated to cost around $400m, paving over the White House Rose Garden, and renovating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

For context, the triumphal arch is one of the biggest projects Trump has set his sights on.

In short, trump says his planned triumphal arch will double as a military complex is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.