By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) – A Democratic lawmaker said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s plan to base military drones at his proposed triumphal arch near a major Washington airport would require the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a new safety analysis.
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US Representative Don Beyer of Virginia said Trump’s plan to include a large number of drones at the proposed 250-foot (76-meter) arch near Reagan Washington National Airport would threaten aviation safety. He called the idea “stupid, dangerous, and unworkable.”
Trump said on Sunday that at the request of the military, he would convert the arch into a military complex capable of deploying drones and positioning snipers. The FAA cleared the structure as safe for aviation last week, but that review did not contemplate drone operations at the site.
The FAA, which did not immediately comment on Tuesday. Last week, it said that the arch would not pose a hazard to aircraft as long as the structure is topped with an “eternal flame.”
The FAA determination last week requires the arch to be marked with a light on top of the structure and floodlight projectors pointed at it to make it noticeable for pilots. Some aviation experts have raised safety concerns given its proximity to the airport’s main approach and departure corridor.
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The arch is part of Trump’s broader push to remake Washington, including renovating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, redeveloping a golf course in East Potomac Park and adding his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Preservationists say the projects would alter some of the capital’s most prominent historic landmarks.
Veterans have sued to block the arch, arguing it would destroy the historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The FAA dropped an earlier requirement for red obstruction lights, which it generally mandates on buildings above 200 feet (61 meters) near airports, such as the nearby 555-foot (169-meter) Washington Monument.
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(Reporting by David ShepardsonEditing by Nick Zieminski and Sanjeev Miglani)
Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.
