Trump says his proposed arch will include a military complex housing drones and snipers

President Donald Trump said in a Sunday Truth Social post that he would convert plans for the D.C.-area “Triumphal Arch” to “a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch” at the request of the U.S.military for national security purposes.

The new plan, he said, is to “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.”Reached for comment, a Pentagon spokesperson said the department has “nothing additional to provide beyond the post.” The White House declined to provide additional information.His post marked a significant change in plans that had already been in progress, as the Trump administration had announced earlier this month that it was preparing to break ground in the coming weeks.A replica of President Trump's planned "Triumphal Arch" at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., on July 2.Joe Raedle / Getty Images fileThe president’s announcement also was the second time he has framed a controversial construction project as a national security endeavor.Trump previously argued that the White House ballroom construction was necessary for national security and tied the project to the underground military complex.

The ballroom, too, faced legal pushback, though the Supreme Court ruled at the end of August that the administration could move forward indefinitely on ballroom construction.The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued over the ballroom, arguing that Trump did not have the unilateral ability to undertake the project.

The Supreme Court, though, ruled that the trust likely did not have proper standing to bring the case forward.In early April, the White House argued to a federal appeals court that the project, including the ballroom, was “necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House and its grounds.” Weeks later, a gunman stormed a security checkpoin...