Latest news with #flagpole
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Bulldozes the White House Rose Garden
Bulldozers have begun ripping up the grass and digging the foundation for a new flagpole in the White House Rose Garden lawn, making good on President Donald Trump's plan to install a Mar-a-Lago-style patio. Employees with the National Park Service, which maintains the White House grounds, began work Monday on the project. They expect to finish sometime during the first half of August, the Associated Press reported. Trump walked over to inspect the work and told reporters he was installing two 'beautiful' flagpoles 'paid for by Trump' because the grounds have 'needed flagpoles for 200 years,' according to the AP. The White House already flies the American flag and the POW/MIA flag on the roof every day. The president had announced in mid-February he wanted to remove the Rose Garden lawn, which is often the site of bill-signing ceremonies, press conferences, award presentations, and formal dinners. He later explained that the reason was because women had trouble walking in the wet grass in high heels. 'The grass just, it doesn't work,' he told Fox News during a White House tour in March. 'We use it for press conferences and it doesn't work because the people fall into the wet grass.' The White House has two rose gardens: the Rose Garden located along the West Wing and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden south of the East Terrace Colonnade. Both were originally created in 1903 by former First Lady Edith Roosevelt and redesigned for the Kennedys during the early 1960s. It was President John F. Kennedy's idea to revitalize the Rose Garden and convert the lawn that Trump is bulldozing into a space for official events, according to Rose Garden designer Rachel Lambert Mellon. Besides the garden's facelift, Trump has vowed to build a $100 million ballroom in keeping with the Grand Ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, the president's private club in Palm Beach, Florida. Last month, a large magnolia tree that had been planted outside the Oval Office window to commemorate John F. Kennedy Jr. was cut down and replaced with a smaller tree. First lady Melania Trump also renovated both the Rose Garden and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden in 2020. The latter, which was more extensive, sparked an outcry and inspired petitions calling for the garden to be restored to its 'former glory.'
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's Ex-Chief Of Staff Spots 1 Glaring 'Problem' With New White House Flagpoles
Ex-White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney — who served in Donald Trump's first term — warned Wednesday that at least one of the massive, newly-installed flagpoles at the White House could prove to be 'problem.' Mulvaney told NewsNation's 'The Hill' that the 88-foot flagpole on the South Lawn could interfere with the president's Marine One helicopter, which departs from and lands on the same lawn. 'I imagine they considered this, they'd be landing someplace else but I'm looking at this going — as the chief of staff, who's in charge of military operations at the White House — 'Where are we landing the helicopter without creating an increased risk for the president of the United States?'' he said. 'I don't know the answer to that yet.' Both of the flagpoles including one on the North Lawn have been praised as 'beautiful' by the president who — amid a rambling press conference — was asked whether any 'adjustments' needed to happen in order for Marine One to continue to safely use the South Lawn. Trump dismissed such concerns, claiming that the installation is 'very far away' from the designated area for the helicopter's departures and landings. 'We did it in conjunction with the Air Force, with everybody, everybody signed off on it,' he declared. 'We have to have it far away ... you have to have a certain distance, we're about three times that distance.' It's unclear what the distance is between the South Lawn flagpole and the Marine One landing area, or whether the helicopter has been cleared to continue using the lawn. Trump has described both flagpoles as a personal 'GIFT,' telling reporters Wednesday that they cost about $50,000 a piece. HuffPost has reached out to the White House, which was not immediately available for comment. Even The Set List For Bruce Springsteen's New Tour Is A Dig At Trump Democrats Ambivalent On Trump's Possible War Despite It Being Deeply Unpopular Lawmakers Rip Musk And Trump For Spreading 'Hate Speech' After X Sues Over New Law
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Ex-Trump aide: Change at White House could put the president in danger
By Published: | Updated: President Donald Trump's former acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney has some concerns about the giant flag pole the president erected in the South Lawn. Mulvaney appeared on a NewsNation panel on Wednesday, the day Trump brought reporters to the South Lawn as one of the two new flag poles was set up by a team of workers. 'I imagine they considered this, they'd be landing someplace else, but I'm looking at this going, as the chief of staff who's in charge of military operations at the White House, "Where are we landing the helicopter without creating an increased risk for the president of the United States?" I don't know the answer to that yet,' he added. The presidential helicopter, Marine One, uses the South Lawn as a landing pad. The new flag installation appears to not have changed that protocol as Trump is expected to fly out from the South Lawn to Joint Base Andrews later Friday afternoon. He'll head to his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club for a Friday night fundraiser, before returning to Washington, D.C. Saturday evening. On Thursday, a day after the two new flag poles were installed, D.C. was hit with a thunderstorm that included lightning and high winds that took down trees all over the area. The president is putting his stamp all over the White House. As the Daily Mail previously reported , Trump has ordered workers to put pavers over the grass in the Rose Garden so that he's able to use the space more easily for events. That project is ongoing. The president, at least dating back to 2010 , has also dreamed of the White House having a ballroom, similar to what he built at his historic Florida property, Mar-a-Lago, or at the Old Post Office, which previously was the Trump-branded Washington, D.C. hotel. That project is also getting off the ground. The president announced earlier this month that a site for a ballroom had been decided upon. The White House told the Daily Mail that it would be on the east side of campus, but didn't provide details on whether the ballroom would be free-standing or part of the already-existing East Wing, where first ladies have their offices. Trump has already added golden elements to the Oval Office. He's added some non-traditional art to the White House's walls. Now when visitors enter the state floor of the residence they see a piece of art based off an Associated Press photograph showing the moments after Trump was nearly assassinated last summer. In the booksellers hallway leading to the East Wing, Trump installed another painting of himself, situated among the first ladies.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump insider reveals why big new change to White House could put the president in danger
President Donald Trump 's former acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney has some concerns about the giant flag pole the president erected in the South Lawn. Mulvaney appeared on a NewsNation panel on Wednesday, the day Trump brought reporters to the South Lawn as one of the two new flag poles was set up by a team of workers. A second flag pole was put up in the White House 's North Lawn, which visitors to Pennsylvania Avenue can easily spot. 'I see a problem for where they're supposed to land the helicopter - because this is right on the South Lawn, and I'm not really sure,' Mulvaney said on NewsNation's The Hill. 'I imagine they considered this, they'd be landing someplace else, but I'm looking at this going, as the chief of staff who's in charge of military operations at the White House, "Where are we landing the helicopter without creating an increased risk for the president of the United States?" I don't know the answer to that yet,' he added. The presidential helicopter, Marine One, uses the South Lawn as a landing pad. The new flag installation appears to not have changed that protocol as Trump is expected to fly out from the South Lawn to Joint Base Andrews later Friday afternoon. He'll head to his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club for a Friday night fundraiser, before returning to Washington, D.C. Saturday evening. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump had workers erect two new flag poles at the White House, with former acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney voicing concern about the South Lawn flag pole because of how close it is to where Marine One lands On Thursday, a day after the two new flag poles were installed, D.C. was hit with a thunderstorm that included lightning and high winds that took down trees all over the area. The North Lawn flag pole - which is visible to the press - bobbed back and forth in the wind, but survived its first endurance test. 'The Hill's' host, Chris Stirewalt, said the new flags had 'car lot energy.' 'But Trump goes big,' Stirewalt conceded. The president is putting his stamp all over the White House. As the Daily Mail previously reported, Trump has ordered workers to put pavers over the grass in the Rose Garden so that he's able to use the space more easily for events. That project is ongoing. The president, at least dating back to 2010, has also dreamed of the White House having a ballroom, similar to what he built at his historic Florida property, Mar-a-Lago, or at the Old Post Office, which previosly was the Trump-branded Washington, D.C. hotel. That project is also getting off the ground. The president announced earlier this month that a site for a ballroom had been decided upon. The White House told the Daily Mail that it would be on the east side of campus, but didn't provide details on whether the ballroom would be free-standing or part of the already-existing East Wing, where first ladies have their offices. Trump has already added golden elements to the Oval Office. He's added some non-traditional art to the White House's walls. Now when visitors enter the state floor of the residence they see a piece of art based off an Associated Press photograph showing the moments after Trump was nearly assassinated last summer. In the booksellers hallway leading to the East Wing, Trump installed another painting of himself, situated among the first ladies.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's Ex-Chief Of Staff Spots 1 Glaring 'Problem' With New White House Flagpoles
Ex-White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney — who served in Donald Trump's first term — warned Wednesday that at least one of the massive, newly-installed flagpoles at the White House could prove to be 'problem.' Mulvaney told NewsNation's 'The Hill' that the 88-foot flagpole on the South Lawn could interfere with the president's Marine One helicopter, which departs from and lands on the same lawn. 'I imagine they considered this, they'd be landing someplace else but I'm looking at this going — as the chief of staff, who's in charge of military operations at the White House — 'Where are we landing the helicopter without creating an increased risk for the president of the United States?'' he said. 'I don't know the answer to that yet.' Both of the flagpoles including one on the North Lawn have been praised as 'beautiful' by the president who — amid a rambling press conference — was asked whether any 'adjustments' needed to happen in order for Marine One to continue to safely use the South Lawn. Trump dismissed such concerns, claiming that the installation is 'very far away' from the designated area for the helicopter's departures and landings. 'We did it in conjunction with the Air Force, with everybody, everybody signed off on it,' he declared. 'We have to have it far away ... you have to have a certain distance, we're about three times that distance.' It's unclear what the distance is between the South Lawn flagpole and the Marine One landing area, or whether the helicopter has been cleared to continue using the lawn. Trump has described both flagpoles as a personal 'GIFT,' telling reporters Wednesday that they cost about $50,000 a piece. HuffPost has reached out to the White House, which was not immediately available for comment. Even The Set List For Bruce Springsteen's New Tour Is A Dig At Trump Democrats Ambivalent On Trump's Possible War Despite It Being Deeply Unpopular Lawmakers Rip Musk And Trump For Spreading 'Hate Speech' After X Sues Over New Law
