The New York Times reports:
President Trump has been busy upending the federal government, reorienting U.S. foreign policy, threatening trade wars and winning confirmation for his Cabinet choices.
But he has managed to find time for a project closer to home: He has told associates that he wants to rip up the grass in the Rose Garden, one of the White House’s most iconic and meticulously maintained spots, and replace it with a hard surface to resemble a patio like the one he has at Mar-a-Lago.
Designers have drafted options for how to remake the surface of the Rose Garden, which sits just outside the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. Mr. Trump has discussed whether it should be limestone or an easily interchangeable hard surface, with the possibility of installing hardwood floors for dancing.
Read the full article. Per the Times, Trump has also revived his first term plan to construct a ballroom on the White House grounds, something he says can be done for a mere $100 million. Because DOGE. As for the Rose Garden plan, Trump clearly wants to recreate the regular Mar-A-Lago patio scene in which he lords over milling sycophants while he plays DJ from his iPad with his playlist of show tunes, Village People, and Sinatra.
President Trump has suggested paving over the grass in the White House Rose Garden for a patio like the one he has at Mar-a-Lago. nyti.ms/4139fnw
— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) February 14, 2025 at 5:42 PM