Trump Begins Construction of Permanent Helipad on White House South Lawn Without Public Notice

President Trump is once again undertaking construction at the White House without prior warning, this time building a new helipad on the South Lawn.

According to The Washington Post, construction crews were already working on the project Monday. The helipad is being built on the lawn's south portico, near where the presidential helicopter, Marine One, is traditionally kept. A large fence now blocks off the construction site.

Project Details

• The project has not been officially announced.
• It is intended to address damage caused by new Sikorsky helicopters, built by Lockheed Martin, whose exhaust vents burn the White House lawn.
• Lockheed Martin is reportedly donating $5 million to help fund the helipad.

Previous administrations have avoided building a permanent helipad on White House grounds due to concerns over historical preservation and maintaining the classic image of presidents boarding Marine One on the grass near the White House.

Broader Renovation Record

In his second term, Trump has demonstrated little regard for history or tradition concerning the White House. Actions include:

• Demolishing the East Wing to build a massive ballroom
• Paving over the Rose Garden and replacing it with a stone patio
• Hosting a UFC fight on the South Lawn

While Trump can argue the helipad project is operationally necessary, critics note the extent of damage already done to the White House to accommodate his personal design aesthetic. Because the helipad plans have been kept under wraps, the final appearance remains unknown.

Trump has repeatedly shown in his second term that he will not heed criticism or preserve history when he wants something built a certain way, regardless of how tacky his designs may be—as evidenced by the mock-ups of his proposed "triumphal arch."

Editor’s Pick: Trump Skipped Normal Process to Award $500 Million Ballroom Contract

The Trump administration has awarded Clark Construction a $500 million no-bid contract to build the president's ballroom—despite Trump's repeated promises that the project would be privately funded and cost taxpayers nothing, according to The Washington Post.

Records show the president was personally involved in the contract negotiations.

Contract Details

• Competitive bidding is generally required for all federal contracts.
• The administration filed this contract through the Executive Residence, which is exempt from competitive contract rules.
• The White House justified the move by citing federal law allowing the president to spend freely on "care, maintenance, repair, alteration, refurnishing, improvement, air-conditioning, heating, and lighting" of White House grounds.

The Trump administration previously tried to cite the same law as authority to build the ballroom, but a federal judge rejected that argument in March. The no-bid contract itself, however, has not yet become a legal matter.

White House Office of Administration Director Joshua Fisher noted on the contract that it bypassed the typical bidding process because "the disclosure of the executive agency's needs would compromise the national security."

Trump has repeatedly stated that private donors would cover the full cost of the ballroom. "They said: 'Sir, we'll do it for nothing. This is the greatest honor,'" Trump claimed earlier this year. However, the contract award makes it increasingly clear that this is not the case.

Editor’s Pick: Transcript: Trump Reflecting Pool Tirade Goes Awry as Arrests Darken

The White House's July 4 celebration is about to push Washington to a breaking point—and not in a positive way.