President Donald Trump is planning to build a helipad on the South Lawn of the White House, which could be installed as soon as this summer, according to a new report.
The proposal has been under consideration for some time and, unlike some other Trump construction projects, it is not driven by purely cosmetic concerns, three people with knowledge of the matter told The Washington Post.
Officials view it as a practical solution to a problem caused by the latest Marine One helicopters, which are equipped with downward-pointing exhaust vents that pose a risk of scorching the meticulously manicured grass.
Because of this, the next-generation VH-92A — added to the presidential fleet a couple years ago — has been barred from landing on the grounds. Instead, older aircraft slated for retirement, including the VH-60N White Hawk and VH-3D Sea King, complete the final leg to the White House.
“President Trump has continued to make improvements at the White House and all around D.C. to benefit future presidents and Americans,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told The Independent.
In a statement provided to the Post, the Marine Corps said the VH-92A “continues to support administrative lifts of the President outside the National Capital Region,” adding that it will guarantee the Marine One fleet is “appropriately resourced to fly all required missions.”
Sikorsky, an aerospace company that manufactures Marine One helicopters, have long sought to fix the problem posed by the exhaust vents on the new $215 aircraft. A spokesperson for the firm, owned by Lockheed Martin, didn’t directly answer questions posed by the Post, but said: “The VH‑92A Patriot is a recognizable patriotic asset known around the globe for safety, security and reliability.”
It’s unclear how much it would cost to install a landing pad on the South Lawn, the expansive grounds overlooking the Washington Monument where presidents have boarded and disembarked Marine One for decades.
But some insiders say the proposal stands apart from other construction projects undertaken by Trump, who has moved at lightning speed to remake the nation’s capital.
“This is not a Trump wild idea,” a retired military officer told the outlet, noting that other officials had given thought to the proposal, but were deterred by a longstanding reluctance to alter the historic campus. “No one wanted to invest the political capital and time in this until they had ruled out other technical mitigation options.”
Others were less convinced, though.
Ray L’Heureux, a retired colonel who previously managed Marine One missions, told the Post that he opposes a White House helipad.
“I understand the conversation coming up again. It always comes up,” L’Heureux said. But, he contended it would be “stupid from an aesthetic standpoint,” adding: “I do think that nothing there is broken — so don’t mess with it.”
Trump, a former real estate developer, has launched a wave of ambitious construction and renovation projects since returning to office. He has demolished the East Wing to make way for a $400 million White House ballroom, paved over the Rose Garden and filled the Oval Office with gilded decor. He has also proposed a massive victory arch along the Potomac and is moving forward with plans to repaint the reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial.
The 79-year-old billionaire, who reportedly immerses himself in the details of his building projects, has said he enjoys reshaping the nation’s capital.
“I have two jobs,” Trump said last year. “I have a construction job, which is really like relaxation for me because I have been doing it all my life.”
