Trump showcases White House renovations as US national debt tops $40tn
As the US national debt surpassed $40tn for the first time and the war with Iran continued, Donald Trump gave reporters a tour of extensive White House grounds renovations, including a new helipad.
On Wednesday, as the US national debt climbed past $40tn for the first time and the war with Iran that Trump started nearly six months ago continued to drag on, forcing Americans to spend more on fuel, President Donald Trump led reporters on a tour of the extensive remodeling of the White House grounds, which he personally oversees in his self-styled role as "builder-in-chief".
During the tour, Trump showed off a new granite driveway, refurbished columns, and spoke at length about newly laid grass. The visit ended with Trump autographing a stone bearing his name, which will be placed at the center of an ornate new helipad.
The roughly 40-minute diversion from presidential duties, which at times resembled a bygone celebrity lifestyle TV show, did little to counter recent criticism from Georgia Democratic senator Jon Ossoff, who said this week that the former real estate developer is not truly interested in the work of governing.
While US service members "fight his war" on Iran, Ossoff said, the president "sleeps through his meetings," golfs and trades stocks, preferring instead to build his ballroom and travel with close aide Natalie Harp aboard the luxury jet gifted by the emir of Qatar.
During the tour, Trump praised the "flawless" granite that replaced the old asphalt driveway, claiming building is something he knows better than anyone. He also repeated his familiar line that "grass has a life, like humans have a life," a phrase he has used at least ten times in public remarks over the past year. Trump said fresh topsoil with quality ingredients had been laid beneath the new lawn, and thanked Scotts Miracle-Gro, which supplied the grass free of charge and which he said had also contributed to his campaign.
The president added that the new helipad would double as a patio for events and cocktails. Before concluding the tour, he also reminded reporters that he personally donated the two large flagpoles flanking the White House, emphasizing their high quality.
