Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's Rose Garden outside the White House is about to get the Trump treatment. And that involves pavement.
A planned renovation of the Rose Garden will begin in a couple of weeks, and it involves paving over the grass portion of the Rose Garden to "make it easier to host events without guests getting their shoes wet." Trump is reportedly patterning it after the patio at his Florida estate Mar-a-Lago.
But don't get it twisted. Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles told the New York Post the roses will remain. “He’s not going to pave over the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden will look exactly as it does. The grass is what will be paved over.”
In February, the New York Times reported Trump was discussing plans for the revamped Rose Garden daily, debating whether to replace the grass with limestone, concrete or an interchangeable surface like a wooden dance floor that could be dropped in for special events.
"Mr. Trump has made clear to associates that he wants to recreate the patio experience at Mar-a-Lago, his members-only club and home in Palm Beach, Fla., creating a better space for entertaining guests. When he is at Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump spends hours of his evenings on the patio," the Times reported.
And that's not the only upcoming renovation. Reports say Trump also plans to add a ballroom to the White House, and construct two 100-foot flag poles on the White House grounds. He plans to pay for the flagpoles with his own money, per reports.
Additionally, he has filled the Oval Office with gold statuettes, plenty of gold-framed portraits and other golden tchotchkes.
"He has already covered almost every free inch of the walls and mantel space in the Oval Office with portraits of presidents, among other images; one frame just outside the office includes the New York Post front page photo of Mr. Trump’s mug shot when he was processed after being indicted in Fulton County, Ga.
Trump also planted a new sapling in April to replace the Jackson Magnolia tree, which was considered a safety risk.
“The White House has not been given any tender, loving care in many decades, so President Trump is taking necessary steps in order to preserve and restore the greatness and glory of ‘the People’s House,’” said Steven Cheung, the White House communications director said in a statement to the NY Times.
Trump has also discussed his dream of adding a ballroom to the White House, although whether that will happen is unclear. Daily Mail reported that when Joe Biden was in office Trump said he offered to build a 20,000 square foot $100 million ballroom.
"I'm very good at building ballrooms," Trump said. "I build beautiful ballrooms. And I actually offered to build a ballroom for the White House.
"It was going to cost $100 million dollars, I offered to do it. And I never heard back. I offered this - I offered to do it for the Biden administration."