Construction crews were seen working on a project Monday night on the White House's South Lawn, blocked from public view by a large fence, according to a Washington Post report Tuesday. President Donald Trump is reportedly building a helipad, though the project has not been officially confirmed or announced. Three anonymous sources told the Post that the helipad is being installed because the new generation of presidential helicopter—the VH-92A Patriot—has an exhaust system that would likely scorch the grass. The helicopter, when carrying the president, is referred to as Marine One.
Lockheed Martin Donates $5 Million for Helipad
Lockheed Martin, which owns the manufacturer of the new helicopters, has spent years trying to develop a solution to the grass-charring issue without success. A company official familiar with the project stated that Lockheed Martin will donate $5 million to help cover the cost of the helipad. HuffPost reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Historical Resistance to a Permanent Helipad
The Post noted that previous administrations considered installing a permanent helipad but decided against it for several reasons, including that it would alter an iconic image—the U.S. president boarding a helicopter on the White House's grassy lawn—that has persisted across administrations for nearly seven decades. Unlike his predecessors, Trump appears willing to pave over the grass.
Part of Trump's White House Renovations
The helipad is the latest installment in Trump's ongoing renovation of the White House, which critics say increasingly resembles his Mar-a-Lago club. During his second term, Trump has added gold fixtures to the Oval Office, a row of presidential portraits along the West Colonnade (dubbed the "Presidential Walk of Fame"), paved over the Rose Garden, installed a UFC fighting cage for his 80th birthday, and turned the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool green. Most notably, he tore down the East Wing to build a ballroom.
