Trump shows off multimillion-dollar White House helipad and adds his signature

Trump Signs Granite Slab at New White House Helipad Under Construction

Tyunews.com – On Wednesday, President Donald Trump walked the active construction zone on the White House South Lawn and pressed his signature into one of the granite slabs forming a new helicopter landing pad. It was the first public look at the multimillion-dollar project, which the president had unveiled from the Oval Office back in July.

“It’s very exciting, very exciting, and I think it will be here for a long time.”

He told reporters gathered for the tour that the finished pad will bear the official U.S. seal. His own name, along with those of the project’s leadership, will be inscribed on the reverse of the eagle’s head within that seal — a detail invisible once construction wraps.

Funding Questions Grow

Uncertainty persists over who ultimately shoulders the tab. Trump initially declared that Sikorsky, the maker of the Marine One presidential helicopter fleet, would cover the full expense.

“They are paying for the cost of it. It’s about $5 or $6 million. They’re paying the full cost.”

On Wednesday he refined that account, saying Sikorsky was covering “much of the bill” supplemented by “donations from numerous people, including me.” A Lockheed Martin spokesperson — Sikorsky’s parent company — told ABC News last month that the firm’s contribution was “made to the National Park Service” and that its collaboration with the administration was “guided by rigorous ethics and compliance standards.”

Intended Uses and Operational Details

Beyond routine Marine One arrivals and departures, the pad is slated to host foreign dignitaries during state visits, serve as a cocktail area preceding events at the new ballroom Trump is also building, and potentially accommodate press briefings. The president described the structure as capable of accommodating any helicopter regardless of size or power.

“This is a helipad at the highest level. It can land any helicopter in the world, no matter how big, no matter how powerful, no matter how strong.”

Crews, he said, were laboring nearly around the clock — beginning shifts as early as six in the morning and continuing until midnight.

Timeline, Delays, and the Xi Visit

A construction worker told the president the pad could be finished by “the 21st,” though whether that meant August or September remained unclear. Trump is scheduled to receive Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24.

“Oh, so we might make it for President Xi? That would be great.”

He followed up with, “Not imperative, but it would be very nice to have it done.”

The president also acknowledged a roughly week-and-a-half delay after he requested the pad be elevated to compensate for a slope in the lawn. Addressing workers nearby, he quipped, “Sorry to take an extra week and a half, but lifting it up was one of the best things we’ve ever done, right?”

Marine One Context

Lockheed Martin handed over a new batch of Sikorsky helicopters to the Air Force in 2024. Nevertheless, the White House has continued relying on the older fleet for South Lawn operations because the newer machines scorch the turf. The upgraded aircraft have been deployed at other sites in the interim. ABC News has reached out to the White House Historical Association to determine whether any prior president has inscribed their name on a project situated on the grounds.