White House confirms redo of South Lawn helipad for new Marine One
The White House has confirmed that contractors are redoing a new helipad on the South Lawn to accommodate a new, supersized Marine One helicopter recently added to the presidential transport fleet. A White House official said the changes to the circular concrete landing pad were ordered as "we continue to make improvements as part of the ongoing project to best match the needs of the White House."
The Washington Post reported that Donald Trump was unhappy with the pad's appearance and the lawn's slope. The paper said construction crews had been working "around the clock" to finish the project, which the president hoped would be completed before the Chinese president Xi Jinping's visit to the US in late September.
Details of the project
While helicopters do not strictly require a level surface, the outlet said that the downward gradient of the White House lawn, which slopes as much as 20 degrees in some spots, might also have to be changed so the helipad could sit level with the horizon. Last week, a 100ft-wide granite presidential seal that was beginning to take shape was observed to have been dug up again, the outlet observed.
The helipad is the latest in Trump's controversial improvement projects, including the construction of a White House ballroom on the side of East Wing and a new lining in the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. Others on the drawing board include a garden of heroes and a triumphal arch complete with a 60ft gilded bronze winged Lady Liberty statue, flanked by a pair of enormous gilded eagles.
The new helipad is expected to feature a carved granite presidential seal and cost $5m to $6m, funded entirely by helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft. The new Marine One, a militarized variant of the Sikorsky S-92, or VH-92A Patriot, manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft, has exhaust vents that direct heat downward. It is considerably larger and more powerful than the previous Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King.
Trump's tour
Trump spent about 30 minutes guiding reporters across the South Lawn, touting a new granite helipad, a $400 million ballroom, and other renovations. He said, "This building was falling apart. It's falling apart - 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."
Trump's approval rating stands at 33%, tied for its lowest point ever, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. He has devoted much of his second term to remaking Washington and the White House itself, vowing to leave a legacy as the president who restored a grand old building he says had been allowed to deteriorate for decades.
Funding and reactions
Trump said the helipad is being donated by Sikorsky, the company that makes the Marine One helicopters, and that it was necessary because exhaust from the new helicopters scorched the grass. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is donating new grass for the lawn, Trump said, adding, "They actually contributed to my campaign."
Trump pointed to a flagpole he had erected, saying, "It's a tapered pole. I'm very good at flagpoles." He used his trademark Sharpie pen to sign a granite eagle that will be embedded in the helipad, which is made of 4-inch-thick granite dug out of a quarry in California. Carved into the granite in large letters is: "The Seal of the United States of America."
Trump said, "This will be here long after we're gone. No matter what happens with the world, this is not moving." He added that the helipad could be used for events and cocktails, saying, "They can have events on it. They can have people go there for cocktails and then walk to the ballroom after that's finished."
Broader context
The ballroom project has drawn criticism and legal challenges. Trump asked the US Supreme Court on Friday to allow the building to proceed after an appeals court said further construction would require Congress approval. Trump began his tour on a stretch of driveway that had been asphalt for decades but now has been replaced by granite.