Trump orders South Lawn reshaping to match new White House helipad
Donald Trump has directed crews to raise the South Lawn so it sits level with a newly built helipad before President Xi's upcoming visit.
Work on a White House helipad has expanded to include regrading the South Lawn, which Trump wants leveled with the pad before Xi Jinping arrives. The overall construction program, estimated at $927 million, initially listed a $13 million price tag for the helipad before the lawn changes. Officials told reporters the lawn will be gently reshaped to align with the new landing area.
Trump toured the site with children at a Rose Garden event, praising his love of construction. Earlier this month, he ordered a redo of the helipad after removing a granite presidential seal and later questioned the original slope. Meanwhile, a controversial ballroom project on the grounds continues after a recent Supreme Court ruling, and biographer Maggie Haberman notes that such vanity projects dominate Trump’s focus.
Why it matters
The alterations affect historic White House grounds and signal how presidential priorities shape federal spending.
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