Photos from June 18 show bulldozers placing gravel and pavement on the formerly grassy lawn
President Donald Trump is making big changes at the White House(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump is making big changes at the White House as crews pave over the iconic Rose Garden.
The White House broke ground on renovation plans earlier this month, which involve the Rose Garden makeover and new flagpoles on the property. The decision to renovate the Rose Garden received backlash, as it’s most recent design was done by First Lady Jackie Kennedy.
Trump has added several personal touches to the White House since his second term, including artwork of himself on walls and gold-toned flourishes in the Oval Office. He also wants to add a ballroom, reported the AP.
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The Rose Garden is located along the West Terrace and West Wing near the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. Photos from June 18 show bulldozers placing gravel and pavement on the formerly grassy lawn.
The White House broke ground on renovation plans earlier this month(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
The area was first created in 1903 by First Lady Edith Roosevelt, but it was made into a Rose Garden in 1913 by First lady Ellen Wilson, according to the National Park Service.
When President John F. Kennedy was in office, Jackie Kennedy designed the garden to be more open, and press conferences, award ceremonies and some formal dinners began to be held there.
First Lady Melania Trump made tweaks to the garden during her husband’s first term in 2020. Those included upgrades to the electrical set up, a new walkway and drainage improvements.
The decision to renovate the Rose Garden received backlash(Image: AP)
Trump said in a March interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that the renovation of the Rose Garden was a safety decision.
“You know, we use [the Rose Garden] for press conferences, and it doesn’t work because the people fall,” he said.
“The terrain can be wet, and the soft ground can be an issue for some. Women, with the high heels, it just didn’t work.”
A White House official told PEOPLE: “This restoration to the Rose Garden preserves the beauty of the space and builds on the work done in 2020, with a focus on enhancing practical use and guest experience for those attending special events.”
First Lady Melania Trump made tweaks to the garden during her husband’s first term in 2020(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
On X, users shared their thoughts about the renovation. One user wrote: “Melania Trump is destroying Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden because she doesn’t want to leave any doubt that she’s as big an a–hole as her husband.”
Another said: “First he chopped down Jackie’s trees, now he’s paving over the lawn she put in place. It’s called the Rose “Garden”, not the Rose “patio”, you Hobby Lobby clearance rack reject.”
A third added: “Donald Trump having the Rose Garden paved over shows how much respect he has for RFK Jr’s mom. Zero.”
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