President Donald Trump gave reporters a tour of several White House construction projects Wednesday, highlighting a new granite driveway, a planned 100-foot helipad, replacement South Lawn grass, facade restoration and the administration’s disputed ballroom and military complex project.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump walked reporters through a series of construction and restoration projects underway at the White House on Aug. 19, offering updates on changes ranging from a newly rebuilt driveway and South Lawn helipad to renovations of the historic facade and the much larger ballroom project.
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Trump devoted considerable attention to the materials and engineering behind the improvements, saying the work is intended to make the grounds more durable while preserving and enhancing the appearance of the presidential complex.
One of the most visible changes is the replacement of the White House’s old asphalt driveway with special white granite quarried in California.
“This granite has a million-year life. It’s a very strong stone,” Trump said. “It will never break. It will never leak.”
Trump said the stone can withstand approximately 35,000 pounds per square inch, compared with about 5,000 pounds per square inch for hard concrete.
“This was all black asphalt that was in terrible shape, and asphalt only lasts for a season,” he said.
The president said the driveway work was financed through private donations from several people, including himself.
Trump also showed reporters progress on a new permanent helipad being constructed on the South Lawn.
The 100-foot-diameter landing area is being built from granite and is expected to cost as much as $6 million.
The project is being financed by Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, according to Trump.
He said the new surface is intended to accommodate larger and more powerful Marine One helicopters without damaging the surrounding lawn.
“Now with the helipad, we won’t have any problem with the grass,” Trump said. “It can land any helicopter in the world.”
The finished helipad is expected to feature the presidential seal carved by hand into black granite.
Trump praised the workers responsible for the project, calling them “brilliant artists.”
He also said the landing area could potentially serve other ceremonial purposes, including official state arrivals and events.
During the tour, Trump signed a granite slab containing the eagle of the United States and invited several workers on the project to add their signatures.
The president said construction had fallen about a week and a half behind schedule because he ordered changes to the surface gradient.
“It’s now dead flat,” Trump said. “I didn’t want to have the slope that they had. They had a slope that would have been like for a waterfall, not for rain.”
Changes are also underway across the South Lawn itself.
Trump said the existing grass is being replaced and predicted the new lawn would appear substantially improved within several weeks.
“Grass has a life like humans have a life,” Trump said. “This grass is the highest quality.”
According to the president, ScottsMiracle-Gro donated the replacement grass to the White House.
Trump has also recently discussed plans to replace or restore grass in public parks throughout Washington.
Beyond the grounds, the administration is restoring portions of the White House exterior.
Trump said the facade had deteriorated significantly before the current work began.
“It had never been touched before, other than some paint slopped on it,” he said.
The president pointed to restored stonework and columns as examples of the improvements.
“Look at the stone, look at the columns, how perfect they are,” Trump said.
Much of the White House facade traces its origins to 1792, when construction of the building began.
“There haven’t been that many additions,” Trump said.
He said portions of the historic stonework had suffered visible damage before the restoration.
“They had literally chunks of stone out of them missing, and now they’re really in flawless condition.”
Trump also discussed the administration’s far larger ballroom project, which he said evolved after the Pentagon proposed incorporating a military complex into the development.
“The military came to see me, and they said, ‘Sir, we have an opportunity to do something incredible here, and we’ve been trying to do it for 100 years, but we’ve never had an opportunity like that.’”
Trump said he reviewed the proposal and approved the military’s plan.
Construction on the approximately 90,000-square-foot ballroom began in September 2025.
The project required demolition of the East Wing, which Trump has described as undersized and in poor condition.
Construction has since become the subject of litigation.
On Aug. 14, the administration asked the Supreme Court to permit work on the ballroom to resume after lower courts concluded that congressional approval was required for the project.
Asked how he would respond if the Supreme Court rules against the administration, Trump said he does not expect that outcome.
“I hope that doesn’t happen. I can’t imagine it happening,” he said.
“We had a great ruling from a very highly respected judge, as you know, and hopefully, the Supreme Court will agree with that ruling,” Trump added.
He described the planned facility in expansive terms.
“This will be the greatest military complex/ballroom anywhere in the world.”
According to Trump, the underground portion extends approximately five stories, or about 65 feet beneath the surface.
He declined to provide further details about the underground structure, citing national security concerns.
Trump also criticized the lawsuit challenging the project, arguing that litigation could result in sensitive information about the facility becoming publicly accessible, including to foreign adversaries.
The projects highlighted Wednesday span both practical upgrades and major structural changes, with Trump emphasizing durability, aesthetics and long-term use as he personally oversees modifications to the White House grounds and buildings.
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