Trump Unveils First Photo of New Granite Helipad on White House South Lawn
Trump celebrates a completed carved granite Heliport Landing Zone he calls a Gift to America, saying the stone is rated for a million-year lifespan and cannot crack.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump released what he called the first picture of a new carved granite Heliport Landing Zone on the South Lawn of the White House, calling the completed project magnificent.
Here is the full post on truthsocial: “This is the first picture taken of the new Heliport Landing Zone on the South Lawn of the White House! It is magnificently made of carved granite in shades of Black and White. It is truly a work of art and, even the Trump Haters are saying, “Wow, that’s really good!” It was completed ahead of schedule, under budget and, again, though expensive, was a Gift to America! As part of the Project, the poorly conditioned asphalt at the Main Entrance was replaced with Highest Grade, 4 and 5 inch (about 12.7 centimeters) thick, White Granite! At a strength of 35,000 pounds (about 15.9 kilograms) per square inch, and rated “1 Million Years, PLUS, the Highest Rating there is for stone, aside from being beautiful, it is essentially indestructible. There will be no cracks, or defacement, EVER! The Heliport path travels directly into the Main Entrance where the green entrance doors, from what was years ago a maintenance area, were changed to White House White with new, highest level hardware, locks, and hinges. It is an Honor, “in my spare time,” to bring back the Beauty and Magnificence of the White House, to levels it has never seen before, not even after its construction in 1792. Like our Nation, under the Dumocrats, was in decline, the White House was a badly maintained “dump.” Now, it is a Palace! Trump” on September 14, 2026 at 4:59 PM ET.
This is Trump’s 13th message released today, and the last post was 6 minutes ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 16 of his 578 posts over the last 30 days classified as Trump Business & Personal Brand posts.
Trump confirmed in July that he was constructing the granite helipad for Marine One and said Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin that builds the presidential helicopters, would pay for it according to abc7ny. He estimated the cost at about $5 or $6 million and said the manufacturer was covering the full amount according to abc7ny. A Lockheed Martin spokesperson said the contribution was made to the National Park Service and that the company’s engagement with the federal government followed rigorous ethics and compliance standards according to abc7ny.
Trump showed off the project during an August tour, signing his name on one of the granite slabs and touting the U.S. seal carved into the surface according to abcnews. He said the white California granite could bear 35,000 pounds (about 15.9 kilograms) of pressure per square inch, far more than concrete according to usatoday. “This will be here long after we’re gone,” Trump told reporters after signing a piece of the granite according to usatoday.
The helipad forms part of a wider overhaul of the White House grounds. Trump paved the Rose Garden, gilded the Oval Office and began adding a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the site where he demolished the East Wing according to usatoday. Between the helipad and the building, a granite plaza replaced the asphalt driveway where foreign dignitaries such as King Charles III of the United Kingdom have arrived according to usatoday. Trump said the finished helipad could double as a cocktail space ahead of events at the ballroom and would impress visiting leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping according to pbs. Whether the work endures remains an open question, as Trump’s earlier refurbishing of the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool saw its paint fade and liner peel away within days of installation according to pbs.
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