India, Sept. 20 -- US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the triumphal arch he plans to build near Arlington National Cemetery in Washington would also serve as a "military complex", housing drones and snipers and storing large quantities of ammunition.

Trump cited national security concerns for the move, similar to the rationale given for the roughly $400 million ballroom complex being built on the site of the White House's former East Wing, according to a Reuters report.

The projects are part of Trump's broader effort to reshape Washington, which also includes a push to add his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The plans have faced criticism from preservationists and others who say they could alter or...