President Donald Trump has ordered contractors to redo portions of the new White House helipad after rejecting its design, forcing crews to tear out weeks of completed work just as the project was nearing the finish line.
The Washington Post first reported Trump’s decision, citing two people familiar with his private comments.
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Crews have been building a permanent landing pad for Marine One on the South Lawn since June, where they had recently begun installing a 100-foot-wide granite presidential seal.
They had been working around the clock in hopes of finishing before Trump’s September deadline.
Trump rejects helipad design
Trump objected to the way the new helipad follows the South Lawn’s natural slope. The Post reported he wants the landing pad to appear level with the horizon, prompting contractors to dismantle completed work while engineers evaluate whether the lawn itself needs to be regraded.
Photos published Tuesday show crews had already removed much of the granite lettering that had been installed around the presidential seal, leaving sections of the pad unfinished again.
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None of the Sikorsky VH-92A helicopters intended to serve as Marine One — costing about $215 million each — have landed on the White House South Lawn yet.
Trump had previewed his vision for the project last month, saying he wanted “a beauty,” rather than “just a piece of concrete.”
The White House declined to discuss Trump’s requested changes. Spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement the project will provide the president with a permanent landing area while protecting the South Lawn from the intense exhaust generated by the newest Marine One helicopters.
“Thanks to President Trump, the White House has never looked better, and it will only continue to get better under his leadership.”
The White House has previously said parts of the South Lawn exceed the recommended slope for a permanent landing pad.
Built for the next generation of Marine One
The new helipad is being built because the next generation of Marine One helicopters can scorch the South Lawn when they land.
The VH-92A Patriot helicopters direct engine exhaust downward with enough heat to damage the grass, leading the administration to build a permanent landing surface near the South Portico.
Until construction is complete, Trump has continued using the Ellipse, just south of the White House grounds, as Marine One’s temporary landing site.
In his comments to reporters last month, Trump defended the project by pointing to the age of the presidential helicopter fleet.
“Our other Marine Ones are about 40 years old,” Trump said. “It’s time to make a change. And other presidents wouldn’t do that because I think it’s not good to make a change to luxury. But you got to do it.”
Cost and schedule remain uncertain
Lockheed Martin, which owns Sikorsky Aircraft, the manufacturer of the VH-92A helicopters, is funding the project. Trump has previously said it will cost between $5 million and $6 million.
It’s unclear whether the redesign will increase the cost or delay Trump’s goal of completing the helipad before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Washington in late September.
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