Officials Cast Trump's DC Arch as a National Security Necessity

Two of President Trump's Cabinet members are pitching his planned 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington not as a vanity monument, but as a defense asset, the Washington Post reports. In court filings Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called it a "generational national defense opportunity," saying the towering structure near Arlington Memorial Bridge could host snipers, coordinate responses to drone attacks, and otherwise help protect the capital. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said its security features would be folded into the existing tourist-friendly design.

The administration is battling a lawsuit from three Vietnam veterans and a preservationist who argue the arch would mar Arlington National Cemetery and nearby memorials—and can't proceed without explicit congressional approval. A judge will weigh on Friday whether to halt construction, which officials say could begin underground work as early as next week and aboveground work could stretch into 2030. The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) will review the plans next Thursday, and officials have said if it gives the required approval, construction will begin that day, CNN reports.