President Trump on Wednesday offered reporters an extended look at the ongoing renovations at the White House, highlighting a new granite helipad and the construction of a ballroom, while boasting about his real estate expertise and the quality of the materials.
During an uninterrupted, 30-minute tour, Trump walked across the new helipad designed for Marine One, which is set to be 100 feet wide and made of granite, featuring the presidential seal. He even signed the underside of the slab. The president praised the pad's durability, saying it would be "here for a long time," and asserted, "We get the best stuff; one thing I know how to do is build."
Trump lamented the previous condition of the White House grounds, claiming that prior presidents had neglected maintenance. "It's ridiculous the way this place was taken care of. Nobody, including other presidents, they didn't see it. But I see it because I was very good at real estate, like maybe the best in a lot of ways," he said.
The helipad, which is being constructed with 4-inch-thick granite from a California quarry, is expected to be completed by Sept. 21, just ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned visit. Trump noted that the pad would serve as a venue for state arrivals and events, saying, "Instead of being on grass, now they'll be using that almost like a table. They can have events on it. They can have people go there for cocktails and then walk to the ballroom after that's finished."
The president also addressed the decision to tear up the original helipad earlier this month, confirming reports that he wanted it level with the horizon. He told workers, "Sorry to take an extra week and a half, but lifting it up was one of the best things we've ever done." He also celebrated the repaved driveway, noting the previous potholes.
Trump took time to praise the new flagpoles on the North and South lawns, which he said he donated. "This is a top-of-the-line — it's tapered. This isn't a straight up-and-down job, which looks terrible, frankly. It's a tapered pole, great — I'm very good at flagpoles," he quipped.
The tour also touched on the 90,000-square-foot ballroom addition, which Trump said has received "tremendous architectural reviews." However, the project faces a legal challenge from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued before the Supreme Court on Tuesday that construction should be halted. The administration is seeking to overturn a lower court order that would suspend above-ground work.
Trump framed the renovations as long overdue, comparing the White House to a fixer-upper in New York City. "This building was falling apart," he said. "Like buying a building in New York City that's in bad shape and putting it back together. That's what I used to do. I did it better than anybody, I think."
The president's focus on construction comes amid broader political battles over his executive authority, as seen in recent legal challenges to his orders and his handling of international affairs, such as his threats of economic action against Iran.
