Donald Trump's White House Rose Garden overhaul draws criticism: ‘They are ruining it’
The White House Rose Garden is undergoing major renovations under Donald Trump, drawing criticism from social media users.
The iconic White House Rose Garden, long celebrated for its historical significance and ceremonial beauty, is undergoing significant renovations again and this time under the direction of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. According to a People report, photos released over the past week revealed a striking transformation: the central grass lawn has been completely dug up and replaced by a gravel surface. Bulldozers and construction crews have been reshaping the area which once served as a formal, blooming backdrop for presidential addresses.
The latest renovation, which began on June 9, builds on the changes the Trumps first implemented in 2020. Trump removed vibrant floral borders and the framed crabapple trees originally planted during the Jacqueline Kennedy-era redesign in the 1960s.
Images shared on X show a section of the Rose Garden paved over.
Critics decry removal of Rose Garden’s historic design elements
President Trump had previously defended the alterations, referencing safety and practical reasons. In an interview to Fox News, Trump said the Rose Garden is used for press conferences and it does not work because “people fall."
While the Trumps have called the renovations a ‘restoration’, critics have said the foundation strings of the White House history have been erased.
Several users on X slammed Donald Trump for the renovation.
One user called the move “deplorable.”
Taking a jibe at the new plans for the White House Rose Garden, one person said the iconic venue now resembled a “cemenT-ary.”
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Rose Garden was notably redesigned by Jacqueline Kennedy
The Rose Garden was redesigned under President John F Kennedy with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy spearheading efforts to turn it into a formal garden that reflected both European elegance and American identity. It featured magnolia trees, crabapple borders, and seasonal plantings. All of these were symbolic of heritage and diplomacy, as documented by historian Valentine Lawford, who wrote extensively on the evolution of the gardens in A Garden of American History at the White House, as per People.
However, the Rose Garden’s roots go back even further. President Thomas Jefferson initiated early landscaping of the White House grounds in the early 1800s. As per Lawford, President Jefferson famously shared American botanical specimens with allies like General Lafayette. Over time, presidents like John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and Millard Fillmore contributed to its growth and evolution and established a tradition of presidential stewardship.
Lawford, highlighted how the Rose Garden reflected the values and personalities of the First families, places not just of aesthetic charm, but of diplomacy, reflection, and legacy.
Reportedly, during the 19th Century, commemorative tree-planting became common, and greenhouses were added under various administrations. While Theodore Roosevelt took down the greenhouse to build the West Wing, the gardens still played a big role in life at the White House.
Now, renovations are stirring up some strong opinions about keeping history versus making things more practical. As the work goes on, so does the talk about how each administration handles these pieces of America's history.
FAQs
Q: What happened to the White House Rose Garden?
A: The garden is currently being renovated under Donald Trump’s direction. The central grass lawn has been replaced with gravel, and critics say key historical features from the Kennedy era have been removed.
Q: What happened to Michelle Obama's White House garden?
A: Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden on the South Lawn remains intact. It was part of her “Let’s Move!” initiative and is separate from the Rose Garden.
Q: Which president put in the Rose Garden?
A: While the area dates back to Thomas Jefferson’s landscaping in the early 1800s, the Rose Garden in its modern form was established under President John F. Kennedy, guided by Jacqueline Kennedy.
Q: How old was the White House Rose Garden?
A: The current layout dates back over 60 years to the early 1960s, but the garden’s origins go back more than 200 years to the Jefferson administration.
A: The garden is currently being renovated under Donald Trump’s direction. The central grass lawn has been replaced with gravel, and critics say key historical features from the Kennedy era have been removed.
Q: What happened to Michelle Obama's White House garden?
A: Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden on the South Lawn remains intact. It was part of her “Let’s Move!” initiative and is separate from the Rose Garden.
Q: Which president put in the Rose Garden?
A: While the area dates back to Thomas Jefferson’s landscaping in the early 1800s, the Rose Garden in its modern form was established under President John F. Kennedy, guided by Jacqueline Kennedy.
Q: How old was the White House Rose Garden?
A: The current layout dates back over 60 years to the early 1960s, but the garden’s origins go back more than 200 years to the Jefferson administration.
