President Donald Trump is now looking into building a permanent helipad on the South Lawn of the White House. This comes as the president continues to make major physical changes to the historic building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The reason behind this plan has to do with the newer VH-92A Patriot helicopters.
According to The Daily Beast, these aircraft are much more powerful than the older VH-3D Sea King models that have been used for decades, and they are known to burn the grass when taking off or landing, which is why the South Lawn is currently off-limits to them. For now, Trump still uses the older Sea King helicopters, which land on small protective boards placed on the lawn.
The VH-92A Patriot has been planned as the main presidential helicopter for over ten years, but it has never been used to transport the president to or from the South Lawn. Each of these military aircraft costs around $215 million, and the Marine Corps has ordered 23 of them at a total cost of roughly $5 billion. Trump has already talked about the helipad’s design with his team, and it could be built as early as this summer.
A permanent helipad would be the latest in a long line of changes Trump has made to the White House
This helipad plan is just the newest in a series of renovations that have significantly changed how the White House looks. Trump has already torn down the entire East Wing to make way for a large, bulletproof ballroom. He has spoken proudly about the project many times, calling it the most beautiful ballroom in the world. He has also made several other changes to the property.
He paved over the historic Rose Garden, replacing the grass with a patio. He explained this by saying that wet grass caused problems during events, particularly for guests wearing high heels. He has also added a Presidential Hall of Fame outside the West Wing, covered the Oval Office walls in gold, and put up large flagpoles at the front and back of the building. Inside, the Lincoln Bathroom has been updated with marble and gold fixtures.
Trump has been open about his view that the White House was in bad shape when he came back for his second term. In a recent speech, he said the building was a “s— house” with columns that were “falling down” and plaster that was “falling off.” He said he personally paid for much of the new stone used to restore the building.
Not everyone agrees with the direction these changes are heading. Ray L’Heureux, a retired colonel who previously flew on Marine One missions, said that a permanent helipad would be a mistake from an aesthetic point of view, pointing out that the South Lawn is a historic space.
Trump has also been making his political moves beyond the White House walls, his efforts to target a Republican senator who voted against him recently paid off in Louisiana’s primary. The Marine Corps has said that its squadron is properly equipped to carry out all required missions and that the VH-92A continues to be used to transport the president in areas outside the National Capital Region.
As of writing, the potential helipad remains under consideration by the White House. Trump has been trying hard to win public support over his White House projects, but till now, he has faced strong criticism from undertaking them.
Published: May 18, 2026 03:45 pm