Donald Trump planned a vanity arch that would double as a military complex housing drones, ammunition, staff, and snipers.
Posted by The Briefing with Jen Psaki, Checked
- Sources
- 5 support2 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 88%
The Briefing with Jen PsakiSep 24, 2026
Trump's September 20, 2026 Truth Social post said he had agreed, at the military's request, to convert the triumphal arch into a 'top grade Military Complex' to house and store drones and sniper ammunition and to host snipers, and multiple tier1 outlets (PolitiFact, Reuters, Military Times, AP) report it, so the claim was true as of 2026-09-24.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… Let me ask you about this other vanity obsession with him. It's like there's a new one every week. We're trying to keep track of it as best we can. He he is planned for this vanity arch. He he now wanted to double as a, quote, military complex housing drones and ammunition and staff with snipers. Your colleague, Virginia Democratic Congressman Don Byer, called the plan stupid, dangerous, and unworkable and pointed out that, obviously, such a militarized arch would endanger thousands of tourists, pedestrians, and nearby traffic because it's also meant …
The Briefing with Jen Psaki · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. Trump's Truth Social post of September 20 said he agreed, at the military's request, to convert the arch into a 'top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch' to house, store, and use large numbers of drones and snipers and to store sniper ammunition.[1][2][4][5][6]
Supports. Reuters and Military Times both report that Trump declared the planned 250-foot arch would double as a military complex housing drones and snipers, with large quantities of ammunition stored there.[2][6]
Context. The Pentagon said it had no information beyond the president's statement, and the Interior Department later said the design could accommodate such features even though the plans did not specify them.[3][7]
Context. Later October Interior documents do not mention a military complex, a development after the claim date that does not change its September 24 status.[3]
Sources
7 sources: 3 fact-checkers, 4 not rated
- 1How Trump changed his DC arch into a ‘military complex’politifact.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2As resistance mounts, Trump reaches for a familiar shield: national ...reuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 3Trump's triumphal arch plans don't mention military complex ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 4Trump says triumphal arch will also serve as 'military complex' with snipersusatoday.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5Trump’s new plan for D.C. arch faces immediate backlash: ‘Stupid, dangerous and unworkable’cleveland.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Triumphal arch in Washington to serve as military complex, Trump...militarytimes.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Trump says his planned arch would become a 'military ...krgv.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- President Trump is beginning construction of a 250-foot-tall, gold-topped arch without federal commission approval or review under the National Historic Preservation Act.True
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- Virginia Congressman Don Beyer called Donald Trump's plan for a vanity arch stupid, dangerous, and unworkable.True
- Donald Trump stated on social media that he intends to turn the White House into a palace.True