(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that he is constructing a granite helipad for Marine One on the White House South Lawn, and said it will be paid for by Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, which makes helicopters that transport the president.
“So, now we’re building a helipad, a beautiful helipad, and it’s got the seal of the White House on it, in granite, in carved granite. It’s really a beautiful thing,” Trump said while taking reporter questions at an event in the Oval Office.
Trump said Sikorsky would pay for the construction.
“It’s about $5 or $6 million. They’re paying the full cost,” the president said.
A Lockheed Martin spokesperson, in a statement provided to ABC News, said the company “has a long history of supporting projects” in Washington, D.C., and across the country.
“This specific contribution was made to the Trust for the National Mall, the National Park Service’s non-profit organization,” the spokesperson said. “Our engagement with the federal government is guided by rigorous ethics and compliance standards and conducted in full accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.”
Lockheed Martin delivered a new fleet of Sikorsky helicopters to the Air Force in 2024, but the White House has had to keep using an older fleet for South Lawn departures and arrivals because they burn the grass. Trump on Monday said the helicopters not only singed the grass but also “ripped it out.”
The newer helicopters have been used when the president is away on travel.
A spokesperson for Sikorsky said in a statement that the new helicopter, a VH‑92A Patriot, “is a recognizable patriotic asset known around the globe for safety, security and reliability.”
The U.S. Navy awarded Sikorsky Aircraft a $1.24 billion contract to replace the Marine One helicopter fleet. The deal was agreed to under President Barack Obama’s administration.
“It brings increased capabilities for the no‑fail mission supporting the Commander‑in‑Chief around the world. The helicopter delivers increased performance and reduced maintenance costs and time over the current fleet of presidential helicopters,” the Sikorsky spokesperson said.
The helipad will be Trump’s latest construction project at the White House.
The East Wing was demolished last year to make way for construction of Trump’s massive White House ballroom. The ballroom addition has sparked numerous legal challenges.
Trump installed plaques underneath portraits of presidents at the White House — dubbed the “Presidential Walk of Fame” — along the West Wing Colonnade.
He also paved over the grass at the White House Rose Garden to create a patio with tables, and installed two massive flagpoles on the North and South lawns. More recently, scaffolding was erected for restoration work on the building’s stone columns.
Trump commented on the work while hosting a lunch at the new Rose Garden Club.
“A lot of love is being put in the White House,” the president said.
ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
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