Nicolai Haugsted
White House forced back to square one after Trump’s latest demand.
Construction crews have reportedly been forced back to the drawing board after President Donald Trump objected to the appearance of a new helipad planned for the White House grounds, delaying a project that had been moving toward completion ahead of a high-profile state visit.
According to The Washington Post, Trump ordered contractors to dismantle work that had already been completed after expressing concerns about how the new landing site would look.
The planned helipad was being built on the White House South Lawn and was designed to serve as a permanent landing area for Marine One.
Sources told the newspaper that Trump was unhappy with the way the granite structure would appear because of the natural slope of the lawn. The concern reportedly centered on whether the finished helipad would sit level with the horizon.
Contractors have since begun taking apart sections of the project while evaluating whether changes to the surrounding landscape are needed before construction resumes.
Photographs obtained by The Washington Post reportedly show crews dismantling the 100-foot-wide granite presidential seal that formed part of the design.
Project was meant for September deadline
Work on the helipad began in June and had reportedly been fast-tracked ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected state visit in September.
Last month, Trump said Sikorsky Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, would pay for the project, which he estimated would cost between $5 million and $6 million.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle defended the project in a statement, saying:
“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.”
He added:
“Thanks to President Trump, the White House has never looked better, and it will only continue to get better under his leadership.”
Technical challenges remain
Federal aviation guidance recommends that helipads be flat for safety, although they do not need to be perfectly level because slight gradients help with water drainage.
According to the White House, parts of the South Lawn have slopes reaching around 20 degrees, exceeding recommended inclines for permanent helipads. Officials had selected one of the flatter sections of the lawn for the project.
The issue also follows earlier challenges involving the newer VH-92A Patriot helicopters delivered by Sikorsky under a contract signed during the Obama administration. Despite receiving the aircraft, the Trump administration has continued using the older Marine One fleet after concerns that the new helicopters’ downward-directed exhaust damaged the South Lawn during takeoff and landing.
