E-Paper
Donald Trump lambasts ‘stupid’ contractor over Rose Garden work; ‘Who did this?’
Donald Trump expressed outrage over a subcontractor's negligence after observing damage to the Rose Garden's limestone.
President Donald Trump released a video clip he said showed a “stupid” subcontractor destroying limestone in the White House's recently renovated Rose Garden.
Trump has remodeled portions of the White House to his liking since coming to office at the beginning of the year. The renovations include furnishing around the Oval Office and declaring the $200 million construction of a new ballroom.
The White House recently saw the completion of paving over the Rose Garden's formerly green lawn. Earlier this month, Trump was seen observing the renovations from the White House terrace as he shouted down to speak with reporters.
When Trump complained about garden area
In March, Trump complained to Laura Ingraham of Fox News that the lawn area “doesn't work” for press conferences and that “gorgeous stone” would be more appropriate for one of the most recognizable locations in the White House.
On Saturday, Trump claimed to have observed “a huge gash in the limestone” that extended over 25 yards three days prior while “admiring the stonework.”
“It was deep and nasty! I started yelling, 'Who did this, and I want to find out now!' —And I didn't say this in a nice manner,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Trump stated that footage from security cameras showed a subcontractor working with a broken steel cart that was “rubbing hard against the soft, beautiful stone.”
In addition to replacing the damaged stone and charging the contractor for the damage, Trump declared, “We caught them, cold,” and barred the construction worker from entering the White House.
Also Read: Barron Trump reacts to dad Donald's death rumours; here's what he said
Rose Garden's history
While the Rose Garden dates back to Woodrow Wilson's wife Ellen, it was completely renovated during President John F. Kennedy's administration while he and his wife, Jackie Kennedy, were residing in the White House.
Speaking to British newspaper The Telegraph, Ohio University historian Professor Katherine Jellison said, “I think that both Kennedys would be startled, and not in a good way, since they were apparently grass lovers and it is such a dramatic change.”
Trump claimed to have chosen “the most beautiful marble and stone available anywhere” for the Rose Garden's paving.
“The Rose Garden is completed, and far more beautiful than anyone ever had in mind when it was conceived of, decades ago,” the POTUS stated on Saturday in a post on Truth Social.
For months, there have been direct similarities between the new layout and Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort and gold club in Florida. Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary for the White House, stated that the yellow umbrellas on the Rose Garden terrace were purchased from the same supplier who delivered them for Mar-a-Lago.
