(AP) – President Donald Trump is proposing to transform a planned memorial arch near the Lincoln Memorial into what he describes as a high-capacity military and security facility for the nation’s capital.

In a social media post Sunday, Trump said he had agreed to the change at the “strong request” of the military. The proposed 250-foot arch, planned for a circle near Memorial Bridge, would be designed to house and rapidly deploy large numbers of drones. Trump also said the structure could accommodate snipers on the roof and plaza areas, along with storage for substantial quantities of ammunition.

The president has argued that several of his Washington projects serve both an aesthetic and a national-security purpose. He has used similar language to describe a planned ballroom at the White House, calling it a “military complex” and saying it is necessary to protect the presidency and the country.

The arch project has received early approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. The project is facing a legal challenge from three veterans and an architectural historian.

Trump’s supporters are likely to view the plan as another effort to strengthen security around the capital while creating a lasting monument in one of the nation’s most prominent locations. The administration has emphasized the need for modern defenses against emerging threats, including the growing use of drones.

Critics, however, say the proposed location raises serious practical concerns. The arch would stand near Memorial Bridge, one of only a handful of major connections between Washington and Northern Virginia. The area also sits close to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The arch is one of several major Trump projects Trump in Washington. Other efforts include construction of the White House ballroom, the renovation and renaming of the Kennedy Center, improvements to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the rebuilding of a golf course at East Potomac Park.

Groundbreaking for the arch had been expected sometime this month, but the project still lacks final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission. The commission approved the site and preliminary plans during a July meeting and is expected to consider the project again this fall. Until then, the arch remains both a signature Trump initiative and the subject of an escalating legal and political battle over security, congressional authority and the future appearance of the nation’s capital.

PHOTO- FILE – A mockup of President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch stands at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, June 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jen Golbeck, File)