The White House Rose Garden, long seen as sacred ground, is now a construction zone — and many Americans aren’t happy about it.
Photos show bulldozers and gravel replacing the lush greenery outside the Oval Office as part of a controversial renovation led by Donald and Melania Trump, which began June 9. The garden’s grassy center is now gravel, construction equipment is scattered nearby, and limestone borders from Melania’s 2020 redesign are being replaced with concrete.
Trump, 79, explained the changes in March, saying the garden was impractical for press events: “People fall… Women in high heels, it just didn’t work.”
The White House calls it a “restoration,” but critics argue it erases history. “Removing Kennedy’s Rose Garden for a patio,” one user posted on X. Others called it “absolutely crazy,” echoing backlash Melania received during her 2020 redesign.
Historian Michael Beschloss described her vision then as “grim.” Meanwhile, construction continues elsewhere on the grounds, including a new ballroom and two large flagpoles — which Trump claims he’s personally funding.
“They’ve needed flagpoles for 200 years,” he said.
