Work on Trump’s White House Helipad Reversed as Letters Removed From South Lawn

Construction work on President Donald Trump’s new White House helipad on the South Lawn appears to be undergoing changes, with recent images showing parts of the project being taken apart.

The White House has never had a permanent helipad, but a new model of presidential helicopter, the VH-92A Patriot, scorched the lawn during test runs.

That prompted plans for a new landing zone which Trump said would be made of “carved granite”. Construction began shortly after a backyard UFC fight event in June.

Last week, images showed workers affixing letters spelling out “Seal of the President of the United States” around the circular, 100-foot-wide landing pad. But images from this week show workers disassembling those letters. By Tuesday, they had been fully removed.

Asked about the changes and whether they were cosmetic or operational, the White House declined to give details.

“We continue to make improvements and adjust accordingly as part of the ongoing project to best match the needs of the White House,” an official said. The Washington Post first reported the changes to the helipad construction.

Trump has previously said the project would be fully paid for by Lockheed Martin, which owns Sikorsky Aircraft, the manufacturer of the new helicopters. He also said it would be a “$5 million or $6 million” project.

It is not clear how the recent changes could affect the cost or whether Lockheed Martin would shoulder any additional burden. Lockheed Martin declined to comment, referring inquiries to the White House.

Trump, a former real estate developer, has been personally involved in the helipad project.

It is one of more than a dozen efforts he’s overseen to reshape infrastructure around the White House and Washington, DC, more broadly.