Scenes of Presidents past and present waving at the press before disembarking or boarding Marine One on the White House South Lawn have become iconic images. Now, Donald Trump is reportedly planning to install a permanent helipad at the White House, something that has been considered for years. And the reason actually makes sense.
Why a Helipad Is Needed
The newer helicopters, the VH-92A Patriots, have exhaust vents that aim excess heat downwards, meaning the scorching of grass is highly likely. Discussions over a newly installed helipad have been ongoing for years, but a push to install one could see construction as early as this summer.
The newer Marine One helicopter models haven't actually landed on the South Lawn grass yet – the government is still using older models, including the VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N White Hawk.
Not a Wild Idea
One retired military officer told the Washington Post: 'This is not a Trump wild idea.' Past Presidents may have been wary of doing construction on the historic White House, but Trump hasn't – meaning the new helipad could become reality soon.
Previous White House Construction
In October last year, the President began demolition of the historic East Wing, which served as the traditional base of operations for the First Lady for more than 100 years. In July 2025, when Trump first announced the ballroom, he said it would not interfere with the iconic main building of the White House.
'It'll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I'm the biggest fan of,' he said. The demolition made room for Trump's planned ballroom, which has ballooned to around $400,000,000 in costs.
Funding and Delays
While Trump says private donors will fund the ballroom, taxpayers would foot the security costs. Yesterday, it was revealed that his ballroom is facing further delays after the Senate removed more than $1 billion in taxpayer funding for security upgrades to the building. Though Republicans control the Senate, they might not be able to pass the $72 billion spending package they want to pass, which includes ballroom-related funding.
