President Trump unveiled his latest plans to shake up the White House grounds on Wednesday — announcing he will pay for two large flagpoles.
The president came out of the residence in the morning to survey the grounds on the north side and was spotted with groundskeepers, who were spreading their arms, showing just how large the flags were going to be.
“We’re putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side and another one on the other side, two flags, top of the line,” he later told reporters outside the White House.
There are currently no freestanding flagpoles on the White House grounds, but there is an American flag flying from the top of the building.
“They needed flagpoles for 200 years. It was something I’ve often said, you know, they don’t have a flagpole per se. So we’re putting one right where you saw us, and we’re putting another one on the other side, on top of the mounds. It’s going to be two beautiful poles.”
“Paid for by Trump,” the president added, noting they are set to arrive next week.
The two flags, one on the north side and one on the South Lawn, are just the latest changes to the White House grounds.
He’s already announced plans to rebuild the Rose Garden to include a platform — instead of the current grass — to make it easier to hold events and deliver speeches with an audience present on pavement without having to stand on soggy ground.
Trump has also floated building a ballroom in the White House, just like he has at Mar-a-Lago.
He said he proposed the $100 million idea to the Biden administration, but “never heard back.” This time, he’s going to make the proposal to himself to have “more room” and hold ceremonies without needing a big tent.
Beyond that, Trump has transformed the Oval Office to include more portraits of past presidents, and has lined the walls with gold, reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago grand estate.
The molding on the walls, the picture frames, the doors and several statues are all adorned in gold.
The president personally helped plant a replacement tree at the South Lawn after the historic nearly 200-year-old magnolia was deemed to be in poor condition and a safety hazard.
He used a golden shovel to place dirt for the new 12-year-old sapling that is said to be a descendant of the original Jackson Magnolia, thought to have been planted by President Andrew Jackson.
