President Donald Trump stepped back into a familiar role Wednesday — builder and real estate developer — as he led reporters onto the South Lawn of the White House for an impromptu look at a nearly completed multimillion-dollar granite helipad designed for the new generation of Marine One helicopters.
The Aug. 19 tour offered reporters an up-close look at one of the more unusual changes Trump has made to the White House grounds during his second term: a massive permanent landing surface featuring a carved granite Seal of the President of the United States.
Trump even left his signature behind.
During the tour, the president signed the back of a granite piece bearing an eagle that will become part of the presidential seal at the center of the landing pad. Construction workers joined him in signing the stone before it is permanently installed, meaning the signatures will ultimately be hidden beneath the finished surface.
The new landing pad is not simply cosmetic.
It is being built largely because of problems associated with the military’s newer VH-92A Patriot presidential helicopters, manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin.
The aircraft are substantially more powerful than the aging helicopters traditionally used for presidential flights from the South Lawn. Their downward-facing exhaust has created a problem at the White House: The heat and rotor wash can damage or even tear up the grass beneath the aircraft.
“For 50 years we’ve been landing helicopters on grass,” Trump said when discussing the project in July, arguing that the more powerful aircraft made the old arrangement impractical.
Rather than settling for a basic concrete landing pad, Trump pushed for something considerably more permanent.
The result is an elaborate granite platform featuring the presidential seal carved directly into the stone.
Trump told reporters Wednesday that the granite is capable of handling roughly 35,000 pounds of pressure per square inch and repeatedly emphasized the durability and appearance of the material as he walked reporters through the construction site.
The president has previously said he rejected the idea of simply pouring concrete and painting the landing area white, instead telling those involved in the project to “do a beauty.”
Who Is Paying for It?
The project was initially estimated to cost between $5 million and $6 million.
Trump has said Sikorsky is covering the cost after problems associated with operating its newer helicopters from the White House lawn.
Lockheed Martin previously confirmed that it made a contribution to the National Park Service for the project and confirmed the $5 million to $6 million range cited by Trump. The company said its dealings with the federal government complied with applicable ethics and legal requirements.
Questions remain, however, about the project’s ultimate price tag following changes made during construction. Some recent reports have placed the broader cost substantially higher than the original estimate.
Construction also hit an unusual setback earlier this month.
Trump reportedly became dissatisfied with the slope of the landing pad and ordered contractors to redo portions of the work. Images showed crews removing sections that had already been installed, including portions of the approximately 100-foot-wide presidential seal.
The president’s involvement in the details of the project reflects the hands-on approach he has taken toward construction at the White House during his second term.
On Wednesday, Trump appeared eager to discuss everything from the quality of the granite to the grass surrounding the construction.
The helipad could also serve a purpose when Marine One isn’t sitting on it.
Trump has suggested the massive granite platform could double as an outdoor space for press events, receptions and other White House functions.
The project was initially being targeted for completion ahead of an expected September visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, giving the administration another potential use for the newly constructed South Lawn space.
Part of a Much Bigger White House Makeover
The helipad is only one piece of Trump’s sweeping effort to reshape the White House complex.
His administration has also overseen changes to the Rose Garden, new flagpoles, granite paving and other modifications around the executive mansion.
Far more controversial is Trump’s planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom project, which resulted in the demolition of the East Wing and has become the subject of a legal battle over presidential authority, historic preservation and congressional approval.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has challenged the project, arguing that construction of such a massive structure on federal property requires congressional authorization.
The dispute has now reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices heard arguments this week over whether the administration can proceed.
Trump has defended the broader construction program as both an improvement to the White House and an investment in a building that will be used by presidents long after he leaves office.
Critics have questioned the scale of the projects, their financing and the president’s decision to dramatically alter one of America’s most historically significant properties.
But Wednesday’s tour made clear that Trump is personally invested in the details.
For a president who spent decades building hotels, skyscrapers, golf courses and resorts before entering politics, the South Lawn construction site provided an opportunity to return, at least briefly, to the world he knew before Washington.
And somewhere underneath the finished presidential seal will be an unusual time capsule from the project: a granite eagle carrying the signatures of the president and the workers who built it.
