Donald Trump, despite being busy redefining the country’s politics and facing new commercial challenges, has found time for a project aimed at transforming the White House Rose Garden. The idea, discussed with his staff, involves removing the iconic lawn, which would be replaced by a different surface, similar to the one found in the patio of his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
According to sources close to the magnate, several design options for the new surface, located between the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room, have already been reviewed. Trump has reportedly considered materials such as limestone or other easily interchangeable options, with the possibility of installing a wooden floor for dancing events.
Despite the radical change, the roses are said to remain. The president is also reported to have expressed a desire to place a large chandelier in his office, in line with other aesthetic modifications already made, including the addition of numerous presidential portraits and golden decorative objects.
Apparently, the GOP leader is also said to have revived an idea he had previously proposed to Barack Obama’s advisers: building a ballroom, similar to the one at his Palm Beach residence, at an estimated cost of $100 million. He wants to recreate the convivial atmosphere of his home, where he enjoys spending evenings listening to music with international guests.
Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, stated that the president intends to restore the historical prestige of the building, which has been neglected for decades.
The proposal to make radical changes to the Rose Garden may have a deeper background than we see at first glance. During her husband’s first term, Melania had led a controversial redesign of the Rose Garden. The plan included upgrades to the irrigation system, as well as several technical changes. The renovation aimed to restore the garden to its 1962 design, and while some crabapple trees were temporarily removed for replanting elsewhere on the White House grounds, the historic roses were not removed, as was widely reported in the media.
Nevertheless, the backlash against her plan turned out to be fierce. In response, Donald Trump criticized historian Michael Beschloss, who accused Melania of destroying history with her redesign, calling him “ignorant” and “dishonorable.” Melania also responded directly to Beschloss on Twitter, defending her work and stating that the garden was thriving with healthy, colorful blossoms.
Throughout history, many presidential families have left their mark on the White House gardens. It was Ellen Wilson, wife of Woodrow, who created an early version of the green area in 1913. Gerald Ford had a pool built, while Barack and Michelle Obama added a basketball court and a garden to the South Lawn, respectively.
However, the decision to remove the famous lawn would represent a significant break with tradition. According to historian Timothy Naftali, this choice would reflect Trump’s leadership style, focused on challenging national elites, including those who define aesthetic tastes and conventional norms, while also privileging man-made aesthetic choices over “nature”, consistent with his general under-appreciation of the ecology and related environmental issues.
