The White House Rose Garden is almost unrecognizable now

Lilit

Despite being a sacred spot for many Americans, the White House Rose Garden has undergone significant destruction.

And many people are not happy about it. New photographs, taken nearly two weeks into a contentious restoration project, show bulldozers, gravel, and construction workers dominating the once-grassy sanctuary immediately outside the Oval Office. The improvements are part of a redesign led by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who launched the most recent overhaul on June 9.

The garden’s characteristic green core has been replaced with a layer of gravel. Construction equipment is parked nearby, and workers can be seen transporting items over the grounds.

Some greenery remains, including the old hedges along the margins, but the impact is remarkable. Photos taken earlier in the process show the limestone border, which was put in during Melania’s controversial 2020 remodel, being excavated to make space for a concrete surface. So, why the abrupt changes? Trump, 79, detailed his reasons in a March interview with Fox News commentator Laura Ingraham.

“You know, we use [the Rose Garden] for press conferences, and it doesn’t work because the people fall,” he had said at the time.

“Absolutely crazy”
“The terrain can be wet, and the soft ground can be an issue for some,” he says. “For women wearing high heels, the soft ground just didn’t work.”

While a White House official described the effort as a “restoration” intended for increasing functionality and honoring tradition, social media users were eager to express their indignation.

“Eliminating Kennedy’s Rose Garden means eliminating a piece of our White House heritage.” One user on X expressed their disapproval.

“The White House Rose Garden is no longer in existence.” One user described the situation as absolutely insane.

The response parallels Melania’s initial renovation of the garden in 2020. At the time, she made a rare public statement to justify her action, saying:

“A healthy and colorful blossoming of roses graces the Rose Garden.”

NBC News presidential historian Michael Beschloss was unconvinced, calling her vision “grim.” However, the Rose Garden is not the only component of the White House now under construction. According to the Associated Press, construction is beginning for a new ballroom and two massive flagpoles, one for the North and South Lawns.

Trump, for his part, has stated that he will pay for the repairs himself.

“They’ve needed flagpoles for 200 years,” he told journalists in April. On June 18, Trump was pictured supervising the installation of one of the giant flagpoles, interacting with construction workers just outside the Rose Garden.

While supporters say the updates are long overdue, others see them as erasing key pieces of presidential history — especially the Rose Garden, which has served as a backdrop for decades of iconic moments.

One thing is clear: whether it’s a concrete patio or a ballroom fit for state dinners, the Trumps are leaving their mark on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — again.

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