Summary
- Trump identified the culprit causing damage in Rose Garden renovation.
- “Huge gash” appeared in the new limestone paving area.
- Culprit was a parked truck during construction, per Trump.
- The garden was upgraded with stone replacing grass, and new drainage added.
President Donald Trump may have found a new career path as a detective-in-chief thanks to his passion for surfaces, especially marble and stone.
In a Truth Social post on August 30, Trump declared that he had solved a White House murder case with "limestone plus," which had just been put in the Rose Garden.
“Three days ago, while admiring the stonework, I happened to notice a huge gash in the limestone that extended more than 25 yards long. It was deep and nasty!,”
he wrote.
“I started yelling, Who did this, and I want to find out now!”
— And I didn’t say this in a nice manner. I wondered,
“Was it vandalism or, was it stupidity?”
Fortunately for Trump, however, the White House, equipped with the "finest security equipment anywhere," was able to use camera footage to identify the alleged criminals.
The steel cart that the subcontractor was using was "broken and titling badly, with it rubbing hard against the soft, beautiful stone," according to Trump.
All summer, work had been underway to renovate the Rose Garden, which included tearing up the sod and replacing it with a stone. Trump discovered the "gash" in the stone after the job was finished. When asked when the rework would be finished, the White House did not immediately answer. Trump has previously claimed that he saw women's heels being caught in the mud and got the idea for the new surface.
Trump has been remodeling and redesigning the White House, from tearing up the sod in the Rose Garden to replacing it with white stone to giving the Oval Office a magnificent makeover. In the East Wing, he also intends to create a ballroom that is 90,000 square feet in size.
How much did the Rose Garden revamp officially cost?
The renovation involved replacing the iconic grass lawn with white stone pavers laid in a diagonal pattern. New drainage systems were installed around the perimeter with decorative white grates featuring stars-and-stripes designs.
Trump explained the change was necessary to address issues with soggy, damaged grass that made the garden difficult to use for events, especially for people wearing high heels. The redesign was inspired by the patio style at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The project aimed to enhance practical use and guest experience during press conferences and special events. The nearly $2 million cost was part of a broader set of modifications Trump made to the White House grounds during his tenure.