Work on the White House helipad has taken a costly detour: crews have ripped up the granite seal that was to serve as the landing pad for Marine One, signaling that President Trump is not satisfied with the initial design.
On Wednesday, construction workers used jackhammers to tear out the seal, according to the Associated Press. The reason for the demolition was not immediately clear, but reports suggest the president wanted a helipad that is level with the horizon, a change that requires reshaping the sloping South Lawn.
The helipad is part of a broader renovation of the White House grounds that Trump has overseen since returning to office. Earlier this year, the South Lawn was cleared of the fighting arena used for the "Freedom 250 UFC" event that celebrated Trump's 80th birthday in June. The new helipad is designed as a permanent feature, intended to accommodate the new VH-92A Patriot helicopter without damaging the lawn.
Trump has said the project is being paid for by Sikorsky Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary that manufactures the new Marine One helicopters. "Sikorsky is paying for it, you know why?" he told reporters in July. "Because they didn't tell us how powerful these helicopters were and they felt a little bit guilty."
The president has also explained the need for the helipad, noting that the helicopter's exhaust tears up the grass. "It gets ripped out, ripped out, and it was all over," he said. He put the cost at $6 million, which he said Sikorsky is covering in full. Lockheed Martin declined to comment, referring questions to the White House.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle defended the project in a statement: "For years, the White House has desperately needed a proper helipad on White House grounds that will allow the president to land safely and also protect the beautiful South Lawn grass from the fierce exhaust fumes of the incredible Marine One."
The Washington Post reported that Trump was frustrated with the helipad's appearance and ordered crews to start over. Two sources familiar with the project said the president wants a landing pad that is flush with the horizon, which means the sloped lawn must be leveled—a significant engineering undertaking.
It remains unclear how much additional money will be spent on the rework. The helipad is just one of several high-profile projects Trump has launched in Washington since his second term began. He has also overseen the construction of a massive ballroom adjacent to the White House, which required the demolition of the East Wing, and he has decked out the Oval Office in gold, paved over the Rose Garden, and added a "Presidential Walk of Fame."
The rework comes as Trump continues to push his agenda on multiple fronts, including pressing for permanent daylight saving time and promoting tax cuts ahead of the midterms. The helipad project is emblematic of his hands-on approach to the White House's physical transformation, a theme that has drawn both praise and criticism.
