President Donald Trump under fire for demolishing 'weeks' of work on $5 million White House project
Weeks of work on the construction of a new helipad at the White House have now been scrapped, with contractors forced by U.S. President Donald Trump to re-do everything after the nation's leader didn't like the slop of the lawn.
This has prompted people to place the president under fire as not only does it waste the time of contractors – especially for a project that some deem to be superfluous – but it also rendered millions of dollars work worthless, with more money likely needed for the demolition process as well.
Following already controversial plans to build a new extravagant ballroom on White House grounds – which itself included the unauthorized demolition of the building's historic East Wing – this new project certainly hasn't helped appease political detractors.
Much like the ballroom, which was 'crowdfunded' by many of the country's wealthiest individuals to the sum of hundreds of millions of dollars, this new helicopter landing pad has been paid in its entirety by private defense contractor Lockheed Martin, who own the helicopters planned for use on the building's south lawn.
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As reported by The Washington Post, it's unclear exactly how much this dramatic change of plans will add to the overall cost of the project, but President Donald Trump appears to want it finished in time for Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States in September, even with the disruption.
Helicopters have, of course, been landed on the White House lawn on a regular basis for decades, yet representatives for the presidential building have indicated that the grass' 20-degree slope exceeds recommendations for safe landing, with the new location deemed to be a flatter alternative.
This still isn't good enough for Trump, however, with the president frustrated with the appearance of the new helipad, leaving questions over whether the lawn itself needs to be changed in what would likely be an even bigger project.
Part of what had already been constructed by contractors was part of a 100-foot-wide granite presidential seal, yet while this was rapidly taking shape ahead of the projected completion date next month, it has now had to be destroyed and disposed of entirely to make way for revised plans.
Addressing the importance of Trump's new landscaping project, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle outlined:
"For years, the White House has desperately needed a proper Helipad on White House grounds that will allow the President to land safely and also protect the beautiful South Lawn grass from the fierce exhaust fumes of the incredible Marine One.
"Thanks to President Trump, the White House has never looked better," Ingle added, "and it will only continue to get better under his leadership.”