Outside the Beltway

President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence in Garden City, New York, Friday, August 14, 2026
Official White House Photo by Molly Riley

Trump Announces Triumphal Arch/Military Complex with Drones and Snipers

Sheer genius on display.

James Joyner
28

Comments

The President can not stop making America safer. Just this morning, he came up with this brilliant idea:

Screenshot of a social media post by Donald J. Trump discussing the conversion of the Triumphal Arch into a military complex for national security purposes.

WaPo (“Trump says planned arch will be ‘military complex’ for drones, snipers“):

President Donald Trump on Sunday said his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch will now be a “top grade” military complex that will house drones, snipers and ammunition.

[…]

Trump’s new claims about the triumphal arch, which come as veterans groups, historic preservationists and others attempt to stop the project, resemble his arguments for the need to build a ballroom at the White House. Trump initially said the ballroom was needed to entertain guests but more recently has said it was a “desperately needed National Security structure.”

The Trump administration, which plans to begin construction on the arch as soon as November, has been consulting with D.C.’s and Virginia’s historic preservation offices as part of a required federal preservation process. The topic of converting the arch to a military complex has not previously been raised.

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the president’s post. The Pentagon and the Interior Department, which oversees the federal parkland where the arch would be built, did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

I have been studying things military for over four decades, and it would never even have occurred to me to put drones and snipers on a 250-foot arch. And yet he comes up with it at 7:34 on a Sunday morning. It’s just amazing!

You know how much sniper ammo you can store on a 250-foot arch? I don’t. But I bet it’s a lot.

What’s next? Sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads?

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28 responses to “Trump Announces Triumphal Arch/Military Complex with Drones and Snipers”

  1. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
    Steven L. Taylor

    Sigh.

    Of course, this is just so SCOTUS will have the fig leaf of “national security” to allow its construction.

    Dumbest timeline, indeed.

    1
    1. Ken_L Avatar
      Ken_L

      Not only that. It lets him tap Defense Dept funds to build it.

  2. Eugene Avatar
    Eugene

    The Pentagon and the Interior Department, which oversees the federal parkland where the arch would be built, did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

    No one blurted out, “what the fecking feck?” I commend them for their restraint. [Hat tip emoji]

  3. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    So what part of this latest Taco “idea” is not absolutely insane?

    1. Eugene Avatar
      Eugene

      I kinda like it. Filling it full of explosives will make it easier for #48 to blow it off the face of the earth.

    2. dazedandconfused Avatar
      dazedandconfused

      Being able to get the Pentagon to fund this would allow him to pocket the private donation money that he has gathered for it.

  4. Michael Cain Avatar
    Michael Cain

    Between this and the AI Force post, it seems to me that they’re setting up for a military coup in 2028. Their hand’s being forced because the SCOTUS demonstrated earlier this month that there’s only two Justices — maybe three — that are willing to stand by for wholesale disenfranchisement of the voters.

    I know it sounds like a conspiracy theory, and I don’t think there’s anyone smart enough in Trump’s crowd to actually organize it, but it sure seems like that’s where things are headed.

    2
    1. Steven L. Taylor Avatar
      Steven L. Taylor

      I think this is all dumber than that.

      As noted above, making the arch a national security issue (like the bunker in the ballroom) is to get a free pass from the courts.

      The AI stuff is about making money for himself, his family, and his allies.

      1
    2. gVOR10 Avatar
      gVOR10

      That a plan is illegal and can’t work is no reason for Prez Dimbulb to not do it. Is there some point at which we move past the Goldwater rule and discuss the presidents mental competence? Even if that leaves us with Vance ?

      On NPR’s car show, Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers used to ask the philosophical question, does someone who’s wrong know less than someone who knows nothing. Is someone who’s evil (Vance) better or worse than someone who’s evil and crazy (Trump)?

  5. Kingdaddy Avatar
    Kingdaddy

    Great, let’s see the Congressional allocation for this. You know, from the people who write the checks. Oh, none?

    The unconstitutionality and illegality of all of this stares us the face every day.

    4
    1. Michael Cain Avatar
      Michael Cain

      If the Democrats win Congress so there’s a standoff between what they want to spend money on, and what Trump wants to spend money on, I anticipate a series of SCOTUS decisions holding that as revenue collection and public spending are done by the executive branch, Congress’s ability to constrain the executive’s use of the money is sharply limited. No matter what the Constitution says.

    2. Eugene Avatar
      Eugene

      I think it’s a mistake to imagine that actions such as this will be constrained by the “rule of law.” On the other hand we’re probably at the point where people who don’t get that the rule of law is a social construct rather than a metaphysical thing probably never will get it.

      1
  6. JohnSF Avatar
    JohnSF

    Once again, the words of James Bond regarding Goldfinger spring to mind:
    “He’s quite mad, you know.”

    2
  7. Slugger Avatar
    Slugger

    An arch filled with drones and SNIPERS will surely bring Tehran to its knees. To improve the efficacy of the snipers, I propose equipping them with stealth weapons. Firearms are noisy; let’s use archers! And ninjas! Have the ninjas ride drones into battle; no enemy will be prepared for that. In addition to storing sniper ammunition, we can store self injecting syringes full of testosterone. The security of Washington will be outstanding with drones dropping testosterone laden archers. Archers for the Arch!

    3
  8. EddieInCA Avatar
    EddieInCA

    Nothing says “genius” like telling adversaries exactly where you’re going to put snipers and drones. One guy with a backback can destroy the entire arch with a well placed device.

    I wish I could say it’s unbelievable, but… it’s where we are now.

    Wish some of those who said “Trump 2 won’t be so bad, let’s wait to see what he does.” would come back and take their ass-kickings, but the lot of them are freaking cowards.

    3
  9. al Ameda Avatar
    al Ameda

    Not that anyone is surprised, but ….
    The REAL Arc de Triomphe in Paris is about 160 feet in height, is completely in synch with the urban landscap of Paris, the sight lines and so forth. While the proposed Trump arch is 250 feet in height and as planned will be a gilded warehouse for drones, and is in synch only with Trump’s ego.

    2
  10. Gustopher Avatar
    Gustopher

    Nothing says “triumph” like snipers and drones!

    Given that we might want to move our snipers and drones, I think the Arc de Trump needs to be on treads. Or transform into a giant Trump themed robot.

    2
    1. Eugene Avatar
      Eugene

      Like Voltron?

      “FORM! FLAMING SWORD!”

      1
  11. Mr. Prosser Avatar
    Mr. Prosser

    This sounds like the type of monologue my great grand nephew has when discussing his next Lego project.

    3
  12. Eusebio Avatar
    Eusebio

    It’s both a floor wax and a dessert topping!

    3
  13. Daryl Avatar
    Daryl

    What’s next? Sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads?

    Sharks are in the reflecting pond, silly.

    1
  14. Ken_L Avatar
    Ken_L

    Trump’s fixation on building facilities for snipers all over DC is a revealing insight into his vision of America once it’s great again. I guess a natural development of the campaign to murder suspected drug runners at sea is for snipers to pick suspected dealers off in the street.

    2
    1. Eugene Avatar
      Eugene

      We don’t need snipers for this, it’s satisfactory (and less costly) to simply tell narcotics officers that there will be no penalties for bringing suspects to jail in body bags.

  15. Thom Mol Avatar
    Thom Mol

    Yet again, something I would bet hard money that wasn’t a thing until his tapioca pudding, dementia riddled brain spat it out. Wouldn’t this require a security perimeter around it, thus limiting the tourist appeal even more? And would snipers be stationed on it 24/7?

    1
    1. Gustopher Avatar
      Gustopher

      Part of the tourist appeal is the snipers pointing their rifles at the tourists.

      2
    2. Ken_L Avatar
      Ken_L

      The beauty of snipers hidden on high places is that radical leftists can never know when they are in someone’s crosshairs!

  16. Assad K Avatar
    Assad K

    I’m kinda looking forward to the AI slop rendition of it, akin to the one of the drone-port on top of the Ballroom.

  17. Tony W Avatar
    Tony W

    Putting snipers and weaponry near the National Mall, where hundreds of thousands can and do gather in protest, seems awfully convenient for a guy who doesn’t tolerate dissent very well.

    But I’m sure everything is just fine.

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