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Sen. Duckworth slams Trump's "foolhardy plan" to make triumphal arch a military complex
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth is urging the Pentagon and FAA to reject President Trump's plan to convert a 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery into a military complex with snipers and drone capabilities in the flight path of Ronald Reagan National Airport.
- Duckworth criticized the FAA and Defense Department for focusing on this project instead of addressing safety recommendations from the NTSB following a deadly 2025 midair collision near Reagan Airport that killed 67 people.
- The FAA previously determined the arch posed no hazard to flights, but Duckworth called their review incomplete and demanded answers about the military use of the arch and related threat assessments by October 5.
- Duckworth and Rep. Don Beyer both condemned the plan as dangerous and ill-advised, especially given the congested airspace and unresolved safety issues.
- The FAA and Defense Department declined to comment on the arch, directing questions to the White House.
