Trump team has secretly started construction on its newest makeover at the White House

Trump team has secretly started construction on its newest makeover at the White House A new helipad is being built on the South Lawn, the latest of Trump’s White House construction projects - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments The Trump administration has reportedly begun construction on its latest addition to the White House — a new helipad for Marine One on the iconic South Lawn. Crews began construction Monday on the project and worked into the night as fencing was spotted on the South Lawn, according to The Washington Post, which first reported President Donald Trump’s plans last month. It is the latest White House construction project Trump has embarked upon during his second term and follows his demolition of the historic East Wing to make way for the $600 million ballroom and the creation of the “Presidential Walk of Fame,” which pokes fun at some of his predecessors. Lockheed Martin, the owner of Sikorsky Aircraft, which manufactured the latest Marine One fleet of VH-92A Patriots, has reportedly donated $5 million toward the helipad’s construction. The total cost of the project was not immediately clear. The Independent has contacted the Marine Corps, which oversees the president’s helicopter program, and the White House for comment. Experts told the newspaper that, unlike Trump’s other projects, the helipad is “driven by security and operational priorities.” The helipad is reportedly necessary to deal with a years-long problem — the new fleet of Marine One helicopters risks scorching the lawn because its exhaust vents aim heat down when it lands and takes off. Trump has traveled on the VH-92A Patriot on recent trips, including to New York City to watch the NBA Finals, but has relied on the older model of helicopter when landing on the South Lawn. Previous administrations have considered building a helipad but ultimately dismissed plans over concerns that it would “alter an iconic image” of a U.S. president departing and arriving on the White House lawn, the newspaper reports. Trump was not concerned about breaking with tradition and has plowed ahead with changes to the iconic building and its grounds unapologetically. A retired military officer previously told the newspaper that the helipad was “not a Trump wild idea.” “No one wanted to invest the political capital and time in this until they had ruled out other technical mitigation options,” the official added. The president has frequently traveled by helicopter, including when he was a real estate mogul and flew on his own Trump-branded aircraft. “You know, I’m very spoiled; I’ve had helicopters,” Trump said during his first term in 2017. “And we ordered a couple of big, beautiful new ones.” There are 23 presidential helicopters in the latest Marine Corps fleet, with the final two delivered in August 2024. The fleet cost $4.95 billion, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments