Donald Trump released a video claiming it showed a subcontractor he described as “stupid” causing damage to limestone in the newly renovated Rose Garden of the White House.
Since returning to the office earlier this year, Trump has redesigned several areas of the White House to suit his personal style, including changes to the Oval Office and a $200 million ballroom project.
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Part of the renovation included replacing the grass in the Rose Garden with stone paving, a project completed in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Trump was seen watching the progress of the work from the White House roof, where he shouted down to exchange words with reporters.
Speaking in March during an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump explained that grass was not practical for press conferences and argued that “gorgeous stone” would better suit one of the White House’s most iconic locations.
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What To Know
On Saturday, Trump said he discovered “a huge gash in the limestone” running more than 25 yards as he was admiring the stonework a few days earlier.
“It was deep and nasty! I started yelling, ‘Who did this, and I want to find out now!’ And I didn’t nicely say this,” he wrote on Truth Social.
According to Trump, security camera footage later revealed that a subcontractor was responsible, using a damaged steel cart that scraped against the soft stone.
“We caught them, cold,” Trump declared, adding that he would order the stone to be replaced, hold the contractor accountable for the damage, and ban the worker from ever returning to the White House.
The Rose Garden’s Background
The Rose Garden dates back to the era of Ellen Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson, but was redesigned during the presidency of John F. Kennedy with help from Jackie Kennedy. The roses that gave the area its name are still in place.
Historian Katherine Jellison of Ohio University told The Telegraph that she believes the Kennedys would be shocked by the drastic redesign, saying they appeared to have preferred a grassy garden over Trump’s stone arrangement.
Trump has said he chose “the most beautiful marble and stone available anywhere” for the new design. The renovation has drawn comparisons to his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, even the yellow umbrellas in the Rose Garden were purchased from the same vendor that supplies Mar-a-Lago.
