--- title: Trump's New White House Helipad Project Labeled a 'Joke' by Democrat description: "Trump has refused to sign a bipartisan housing bill that would lower costs for working Americans... but he's laser-focused on building a new helipad," said one Democratic lawmaker. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/07/07/trumps-white-house-renovation-project-multimillion-dollar-helipad-backlash/ author: Tiago Ventura article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-07-07T15:07:17.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-07-07T15:45:45.150Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump's New White House Helipad Project Labeled a 'Joke' by Democrat Lawmaker og:description: "Trump has refused to sign a bipartisan housing bill that would lower costs for working Americans... but he's laser-focused on building a new helipad," said one lawmaker. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/07/07/trumps-white-house-renovation-project-multimillion-dollar-helipad-backlash/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd28a7945ac78acea/6a4d1267d4269e581c9cda82/AP26182583951758.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5855 og:image:height: 3293 og:image:alt: AP26182583951758.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump's New White House Helipad Project Labeled a 'Joke' by Democrat Lawmaker twitter:description: "Trump has refused to sign a bipartisan housing bill that would lower costs for working Americans... but he's laser-focused on building a new helipad," said one lawmaker. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd28a7945ac78acea/6a4d1267d4269e581c9cda82/AP26182583951758.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump's Latest White House Renovation Project? A Multimillion-Dollar Helipad > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters.  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Jul 7, 2026 3:07 PM UTC  Construction workers design a helipad for Marine One at the White House South Lawn on July 1, 2026. Construction workers design a helipad for Marine One at the White House South Lawn on July 1, 2026. Tom Brenner—AP  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Jul 7, 2026 3:07 PM UTC President [Donald Trump](https://time.com/article/2026/07/06/trump-accounts-explained-children-investments-what-parents-should-know/) said a new granite helicopter landing pad is being built on the White House South lawn to accommodate a fleet of more powerful presidential helicopters. The project is estimated to cost between $5 million to $6 million and will be funded by Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin that has a history of manufacturing the Marine One helicopters used by Presidents, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Monday. “It’s got the seal of the White House on it in granite, in carved granite,” Trump said of the helipad, for which construction is already underway. “It’s really a beautiful thing.” A new fleet of VH-92A Marine One helicopters entered service in 2024, with former President Joe Biden [taking the first flight aboard](https://apnews.com/article/biden-presidential-helicopter-convention-marine-one-d260ca6dc141979003670189eaebe53b) the Sikorsky-built aircraft. That same year, the military [announced](https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/Final-VH-92A-presidential-helicopter-delivered/Mon-08192024-1049) Sikorsky had delivered the last of the 23 helicopters, describing the fleet as offering “increased performance and reduced maintenance costs” compared with its predecessors. Trump said Monday that the new helicopters generate so much power during landing, they had caused damage to the White House lawn. "They didn't tell us how powerful these helicopters were and they felt a little bit guilty," Trump [said](https://youtu.be/LoLv8-Z6zS8?t=4358), offering his explanation as to why the company is paying for the project. When asked about the cost and completion of the project a spokesperson for Lockheed Martin told TIME that “this specific contribution was made to the National Park Service.” “Our engagement with the federal government is guided by rigorous ethics and compliance standards and conducted in full accordance with all applicable laws and regulations,” the spokesperson said. Trump suggested that the helipad could also be used for[ other White House activities,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoLv8-Z6zS8&t=4425s) such as events and news conferences. It was [reported](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/politics/trump-helipad-white-house.html) earlier this year that Trump had made the case for a new helipad at the White House, but the plans were not confirmed until Monday. The latest White House renovation has already drawn criticism from some lawmakers. Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York called the project a “joke,” arguing that Trump is prioritizing construction projects instead of important legislation. “Trump has refused to sign a bipartisan housing bill that would lower costs for working Americans, build more housing, and stop private equity from buying up homes. But he's laser-focused on building a new helipad,” she [said](https://x.com/SenGillibrand/status/2074236019151446059). The project's cost has also come under scrutiny, after [the Washington _Post_](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/07/06/trump-speeds-up-white-house-helipad-driveway-changes-xi-visit-looms/) reported that the White House had accelerated construction ahead of an “upcoming state visit,” increasing costs by roughly $875,000, according to documents viewed by the publication. The documents obtained by the _Post_ do not name the subject of the state visit, but officials requested the accelerated construction timeline days after Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit on Sept. 24, according to the publication. TIME has been unable to independently verify the contents of the documents. A White House official told TIME that the construction of the helipad is expected to be finished sometime in September, but did not answer questions on potential additional costs of the project. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia criticized the helipad project, citing the reported increased sum. “Trump is now charging taxpayers an extra $875,000 just to speed up construction of his private White House helipad—adding to the hundreds of millions he’s spent on crazy vanity projects that only serve himself,” he [claimed](https://x.com/MarkWarner/status/2074255050059272348). ### Trump's controversial White House and Washington renovation projects Since returning to office, Trump has sought to refashion both the White House and Washington through a series of high-profile renovation projects. Among the most controversial has been the [demolition](https://time.com/article/2026/05/06/trump-s-white-house-ballroom-keeps-growing-in-size-and-cost/) of the White House East Wing to make way for a new ballroom, which Trump has argued is necessary for [security reasons](https://time.com/article/2026/04/28/trump-white-house-ballroom-WHCA-shooting/). The project has met many stumbling blocks, with Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough in May [ruling against including funds](https://time.com/article/2026/05/21/trump-demands-republicans-fire-senate-parliamentarian-elizabeth-macdonough/) related to the ballroom in the party’s budget reconciliation bill. The proposal has also drawn bipartisan criticism, with several [Senate Republicans joining Democrats](https://time.com/article/2026/06/05/republicans-vote-to-block-trump-white-house-ballroom/) in an unsuccessful effort to block funding for the ballroom through either federal money or private donations without congressional authorization. House Democrats have i[ntroduced legislation](https://time.com/article/2026/05/28/trump-arch-plans-democrat-legislation-construction-projects-backlash/) seeking to block the construction of Trump's proposed [250-ft triumphal arch near](https://time.com/7326081/trump-president-arch-washington-project-construction/) Arlington National Cemetery. The [bill](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9047/all-actions) has since been referred to the House Natural Resources Committee. Trump’s renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has also been met with a series of setbacks. The pool’s new blue paint appeared to be peeling off shortly after renovations as an algae bloom [tainted the water green](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c0qynw823eeo). The Administration was [quick to blame individuals](https://time.com/article/2026/06/22/lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-vandalism-algae-paint-trump-admin/) who allegedly vandalized the pool. The latest repairs will be carried out by the [same company](https://time.com/article/2026/07/06/lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-repairs-Doug-Burgum-Algae-Gash/) that previously received a no-bid contract to renovate the pool. Trump oversaw the temporary construction of a giant [UFC arena](https://time.com/article/2026/06/15/ufc-fight-white-house-hokit-obama/) on the White House lawn last month for a fight marking [America's 250th anniversary](https://time.com/article/2026/06/15/ufc-fight-white-house-freedom-250-photos/). He also added his name to the [Kennedy Center building](https://time.com/article/2026/05/31/burgum-says-trump-s-name-won-t-be-taken-off-kennedy-center-after-judges-ruling/) in December, but it was [removed](https://time.com/article/2026/06/09/trump-name-removed-kennedy-center-building/) last month after a federal judge ruled that only Congress could change the name of the cultural center. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/07/07/trumps-white-house-renovation-project-multimillion-dollar-helipad-backlash/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/07/07/trumps-white-house-renovation-project-multimillion-dollar-helipad-backlash/"},"headline":"Trump's Latest White House Renovation Project? 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