Bedford said the FAA gave Trump’s proposed arch a standard safety review, with no political interference or special treatment. The agency requires an eternal flame atop the arch and floodlights aimed at it, but dropped the red obstruction-light requirement.
Trump said Sunday he would convert the arch into a military complex capable of deploying drones and positioning snipers. The FAA review did not contemplate drone operations. Rep. Don Beyer said the plan would require a new safety analysis; Bedford did not directly address the Democratic lawmaker’s question.
The 250-foot arch would stand 3,000 feet from Reagan National Airport, within its main approach and departure corridors; some aviation experts have raised safety concerns. The FAA generally requires red obstruction lights on buildings taller than 200 feet near airports; the nearby Washington Monument is 555 feet tall. Veterans have sued to block the arch, arguing it would destroy the historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
