President Donald Trump isn’t just building one helipad. He’s building two.
After defending his decision to tear up the White House South Lawn for his Great American State Fair, Trump moved on to the next thing.
New photos show the presidential seal, first announced three weeks ago, is now fully installed on the black granite landing pad.
The new helipad replaces the temporary arena that hosted the UFC Freedom 250 cage match on the South Lawn in June.
The event doubled as part of Trump’s 80th birthday bash and a celebration of America’s semiquincentennial.
Aerial images showed dirt and discolored patches across the Ellipse after Trump’s event, where patrons and crews damaged the grounds by leveling a 22-foot slope for thousands of seats and installing the 92-foot-tall “Claw.”
Workers are now disassembling the “Claw” from the UFC match on the White House South Lawn. pic.twitter.com/sZ89tnwL5C
— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) June 21, 2026
Trump has yet to address the damage that was caused. Yet he insists the new landing pad is necessary for the military’s VH-92A Marine One helicopters, deemed too powerful to scorch the South Lawn every time they land.
But that’s not all. The same presidential perk has shown up at his private residence.
Trump also built a larger, permanent helipad at Mar-a-Lago, his and first lady Melania Trump‘s official non-governmental residence.
The new helipad accommodates the next generation of presidential helicopters, according to the Palm Beach Post.
Workers have started to remove the temporary UFC flooring from the South Lawn of the White House, revealing the scale of the damage to the grass below. pic.twitter.com/ruudPl3nv8
— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) June 24, 2026
Unlike the temporary helipad from his first term, Palm Beach officials allowed this one to remain after he leaves office because of heightened security concerns. It must be removed once neither Trump nor Melania designates the property as their official residence.
That explanation has done little to quiet critics.
“My God. That’s going to look tacky as hell,” one person wrote after seeing the latest construction photos.
One supporter noted, “The concrete walkway to the White House from the helipad is cool too.” Yet someone else described it as “The horror …. The horror.”
“This is your friendly reminder that this helipad was designed and intended prior to the Trump administration as a requirement for the new marine one helicopters, as their power, weight and design was causing damage to the South Lawn during testing,” noted another person.
One critic predicted an even bleaker future for the executive mansion’s landscape, writing, “Pretty soon there will be no grass or trees, he’ll just pave over the entire WH lawn.” Yet most have the same question: “Who’s footing the bill?”
Update: The edge, displaying the lettering reading “Seal of the President of the United States” is now seen. The seal traces its roots back to around 1850 and was formalized and standardized by executive order by Pres. Truman in 1945. (
: @afpphoto) https://t.co/OcKgt0oN3W pic.twitter.com/Nlc2DtsbZI
— Kent Nishimura (@kentnish) July 30, 2026
The backlash follows a familiar pattern for a president who rarely does anything on a small scale.
Sikorsky, the Lockheed Martin subsidiary that manufactures the helicopters, is covering the estimated $5 million to $6 million cost for the D.C helipad through a contribution to the National Park Service, according to the administration, and construction is expected to be completed in September.
Since returning to office, Trump has aggressively reshaped the White House grounds, touching off repeated debates over whether the renovations preserve history or simply reflect his personal tastes.
The president has already bulldozed the East Wing to make room for a massive ballroom, paved over much of the Rose Garden, proposed an “Arc de Trump” near Arlington National Cemetery, overseen a troubled renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and even transformed the South Lawn into a temporary UFC arena for America’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The helipad has become another flashpoint because of both its symbolism and its price tag.
Although Sikorsky is funding the project, lawmakers have still questioned the overall expense and the decision to accelerate construction.
New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand dismissed the project as a “joke,” arguing Trump should be focused on lowering housing costs instead of redesigning the White House. Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, also blasted reports that speeding up construction added roughly $875,000 to the project’s cost.
Supporters argue the installation will benefit future presidents as much as Trump.
Supporters see the new helipads at both the White House and Mar-a-Lago as necessary infrastructure. Yet, critics see another pair of high-profile projects that feed Trump’s failed ego and cement his personal brand.
Whether Americans view the finished helipad as a practical modernization or another vanity project, one thing is already clear.
A landing pad that was supposed to solve a landscaping problem has become yet another political spectacle.
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