Duckworth calls on Pentagon, FAA to reject Trump’s DC arch plans

Sen. Tammy Duckworth sent a letter on Friday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford asking them to deny President Trump’s plan to repurpose an intended triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., as a military platform from which drones could be launched. Duckworth framed the request around concerns for the safety of the capital’s airspace.

The proposal described in her correspondence would transform the planned arch — a high-profile structure in the city — into an operational military site capable of supporting drone activity. Duckworth asked the Pentagon and FAA to use their authorities to prevent such a conversion, citing the potential risks associated with hosting drone operations in Washington’s airspace.

By directing her appeal to both the Defense Department and the FAA, Duckworth is targeting the agencies that would play central roles in approving or blocking any military use of the structure. The letter positions the issue as one of airspace management and public safety in the nation’s capital rather than a purely architectural or ceremonial matter.

No decision from the Pentagon or FAA was reported in the materials provided. The correspondence represents a formal push by a U.S. senator to influence whether a proposed federal or presidential project could be used for military drone operations within Washington, D.C.