Trump revamps White House helipad, then tears it up

Construction on a new helipad went through a restart as crews demolished a granite seal that would be the landing spot for Marine One, as work on new changes to the helipad requested by President Trump rolls along.

Construction workers on Wednesday used jackhammers to remove the seal, The Associated Press reported. It is unclear why workers removed the seal.

Initial development on the helipad began after crews removed the fighting arena from the White House's South Lawn following the "Freedom 250 UFC" event to celebrate Trump's 80th birthday in June.

Reports first circulated in May that Trump had discussed placing the helipad outside the White House to allow for the new VH-92A Patriot helicopter used for Marine One to land and not destroy the South Lawn. The helipad is designed to be a permanent addition to the White House.

Trump in July told reporters that Sikorsky Aircraft, the same company that manufactures the new helicopters and is a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, was covering the cost of the project.

"Sikorsky is paying for it, you know why?" he asked reporters. "Because they didn't tell us how powerful these helicopters were and they felt a little bit guilty."

The president added that work on the helipad required removing any grass, not because "the grass gets discolored, [but because] it gets ripped out, ripped out, and it was all over."

Trump said construction on the helipad will cost $6 million, which he said Sikorsky is paying in full.

When reached for comment about the project, Lockheed Martin referred The Hill to the White House.

"For years, the White House has desperately needed a proper helipad on White House grounds that will allow the president to land safely and also protect the beautiful South Lawn grass from the fierce exhaust fumes of the incredible Marine One," White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told The Hill in a statement Wednesday.

The granite floor of the helipad, which included the presidential seal, could be seen as July came to a close.

The Washington Post's reporting, however, indicated that Trump was frustrated with its appearance and urged construction crews to redo their work.

Two people familiar with the project told the outlet that the president has shown interest in adding a landing pad that is level with the horizon. But this will mean the work that is completed will have to be disassembled to allow for the sloped South Lawn to be leveled.

It is unclear how much more money will be spent to rework the helipad.

The helipad is the latest of several projects around Washington, D.C., that Trump has launched since his second term began. He has also orchestrated the development of a massive ballroom to sit adjacent to the White House after the total demolition of the East Wing.

Trump has also decked out the Oval Office in gold, paved over the Rose Garden and added a "Presidential Walk of Fame.