President Donald Trump has confirmed he is building a granite helipad on the White House South Lawn to accommodate a new fleet of more powerful Marine One helicopters. Construction crews have already begun work on the project, which Trump says will feature a carved granite seal of the White House.
“It's got the seal of the White House on it in granite, in carved granite,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, July 6. “It's really a beautiful thing.”
Private Funding and Cost
Trump stated the project would be privately funded, with an estimated cost of up to $6 million. Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, is covering the full expense. “They felt a little bit guilty,” Trump said, because the new helicopters were too powerful to land on the existing lawn.
Sikorsky completed a new fleet of helicopters for use as Marine One in 2024. A company spokesperson said the new helicopters deliver “increased performance and reduced maintenance costs and time.” However, the aircraft have seen limited service because their exhaust vents direct heat downward, scorching the White House South Lawn.
Grass Damage and Solution
“It's not that the grass gets discoloured – it gets ripped out,” Trump said. The Marines and Sikorsky have been trying to solve this problem for years, and as a result, the new helicopters have not been used at the White House. The helipad will allow the White House to “finally retire 45-year-old helicopters” that had been used as Marine One.
Trump instructed builders to “do a beauty” and chose granite over concrete painted white. “You're landing on granite, which is the strongest stone,” he said, adding that the landing pad could also be used for other events, such as outdoor White House news conferences. Trump did not provide details on how long the work would take.
