Trump orders dismantling and redo of new White House helipad

Published Aug 4, 07:36 PM UTC

President Donald Trump has abruptly ordered contractors to dismantle and redo weeks of work on a new White House helipad, according to photographs obtained by The Washington Post. The helipad, built without official notice, was part of a $13 million renovation project. In early July, Clark Construction received a last-minute demand to complete the helipad by September 17 for an upcoming state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, adding an estimated $875,000 to costs. The project was awarded via a no-bid contract. The redo comes amid other White House renovation controversies, including flawed work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool by Trump's contractors. It remains unclear how much the additional alterations will cost or if the helipad will be completed on schedule. Taxpayers are expected to cover most expenses despite Trump's claim that Sikorsky would pay for a $5-6 million helipad.