Key facts
- Rep. Don Beyer said a drone launching site on Trump's proposed arch requires an FAA safety analysis.
- Beyer called the plan 'stupid, dangerous, and unworkable' due to aviation safety risks.
- The FAA previously stated the arch would not be a hazard if topped with an 'eternal flame'.
- Trump's plan includes housing large numbers of drones and snipers on the arch's roof and plaza.
Representative Don Beyer, a Democrat, stated on Tuesday that incorporating a drone launching site into Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct a new safety analysis. Beyer expressed concerns that Trump's plan to include a large number of drones at the proposed 250-foot arch near Reagan Washington National Airport would threaten aviation safety, calling the idea "stupid, dangerous, and unworkable."
Last week, the FAA had indicated that the arch would not pose a hazard to aircraft, provided it was topped with an "eternal flame." However, aviation safety experts have voiced worries about storing drones so close to National Airport. The proposed arch is slated for Memorial Circle, near Arlington National Cemetery.
President Donald Trump had previously announced on social media that he would convert plans for the arch into a "top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch" at the request of the U.S. military, citing "national security." This new plan includes housing, storing, and rapidly using large numbers of drones, plus snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and storing significant quantities of sniper ammunition. A Pentagon spokesperson stated the department had no additional comment beyond Trump's post, and the White House declined to provide further information.