Trump Inaugurates New White House Helipad
WASHINGTON — On Monday, President Donald Trump utilized the newly constructed helipad at the White House for the first time, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on the South Lawn.
Construction workers were present, lining the newly created path that leads from the White House residence to Marine One. Trump cut the ribbon and made his way towards the presidential helicopter, marking the helipad’s first official takeoff.
He departed for New York City, where he is scheduled to meet with Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) and French President Emmanuel Macron later in the week before addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.
The new helipad features black-and-white granite adorned with the presidential seal. It’s designed to accommodate the VH-92A Patriot helicopter, which, unlike the previous VH-3D Sea King used as Marine One, won’t damage the grass when it lands or takes off—a detail highlighted in a report by the Wall Street Journal.
While the press attended the event, there were issues with the audio of his remarks. The five major networks that usually provide video coverage opted to boycott the event after Trump revoked access to Politico, CNN, and MS NOW just days earlier.
Trump described the helipad as “a work of art” in a post on Truth Social last week. On Monday, he celebrated its inaugural flight.
“We are just leaving the White House Lawn on the maiden voyage from the newly built, and very beautiful, Heliport! I want to thank Jim Taiclet, CEO of Lockheed Martin, who made this valuable contribution to our Country,” he wrote.
He also remarked, “Our Government has been thinking about doing this for 25 years, but was never able to get it done. I get things done! Also, and most importantly, THANK YOU to the Great Construction Workers and Stone Masons of the Washington, D.C., area, who created something very special, and to Clark Construction for its wonderful supervisory work.”
This recent helipad project is part of Trump’s efforts to enhance the White House grounds since his return to office. His other upgrades include the installation of two nearly 100-foot flagpoles on the South and North lawns, a new patio in the Rose Garden, restoration of the columns at the north entrance of the residence, and notable progress on the East Wing ballroom.
