Trump unveils new White House granite helipad and driveway as Xi visit approaches
President Donald Trump led reporters on a tour of recent White House exterior upgrades, highlighting a newly built granite helipad on the South Lawn and a white‑granite walkway and driveway that replace the former asphalt near the diplomatic entrance. He said crews reshaped the helipad area after finding the original slope too steep and praised the granite’s durability. The construction is being rushed to be finished before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected visit next month. Critics, including Senator Jon Ossoff, have argued that the focus on building projects distracts from governing.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 4h later
- Left-leaning coverage is the most divided on this story
Why it matters
The upgrades affect how foreign leaders will be received and raise questions about presidential priorities.
How this story developed
- Aug 12 Trump Administration Seeks Supreme Court Approval to Continue White House Ballroom Construction
- Aug 19 President Trump gave reporters a tour of a 100-foot granite helipad being built on the White House South Lawn and praised its design.
- Aug 20 President Trump gave reporters a walkthrough of the White House ballroom construction as the administration pushes to finish work before a possible court order.
- Aug 20 Trump’s lawyers filed an emergency petition to the Supreme Court after an appeals court said congressional approval is needed for the ballroom.
- Aug 21 The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the injunction barring above‑ground work on the White House ballroom project.
- Aug 21 The Supreme Court issued an order permitting President Trump to continue building a new ballroom on the former East Wing of the White House pending further review.
- Aug 21 The Justice Department filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court to stay the injunction.
- Aug 21 The Supreme Court temporarily lifted the injunction, permitting construction to resume.
- Aug 21 The Supreme Court granted a stay that permits construction to continue pending review of the administration’s emergency petition.
- Aug 22 Chief Justice John Roberts granted a temporary administrative stay permitting construction to continue.
- Aug 22 The Supreme Court suspended a district judge’s injunction that barred key parts of President Trump's mail-in voting directive, creating uncertainty as absentee voting nears.
- Aug 22 The helipad project has been accelerated to be ready for President Xi’s visit.
- Aug 24 The Supreme Court’s stay now keeps construction active while the broader legal challenge proceeds.
- Aug 25 Supreme Court lifted the June injunction but left a second injunction in place, keeping parts of the order blocked.
Related stories
9 in this thread