04-08-2025
The history behind Trump's newly paved Rose Garden
President Trump's Rose Garden revamp is complete — and it is, per POTUS, " very white."
Why it matters: Garden-lovers are thorny about the paving-over, though the White House Historical Association tells Axios that controversial remodels are all part of presidential tradition.
❌ Out: The grassy Kennedy-era lawn.
✅ In: A marble Mar-a-lago-esque patio.
Zoom in: POTUS rationalized the greenery-to-granite swap as practical, saying well-heeled women were "going crazy" sinking into the lawn on wet days.
Neither garden beds nor hundreds of roses were impacted by the project.
It's funded by the Trust for the National Mall and private donors, according to trust spokespersons, and is designed to make the garden more event-friendly.
The big picture: The Decorator-in-Chief is making his mark on the People's House — including a newly announced $200 million ballroom.
He's not the first president to do so — or face backlash for his design choices. Horticulturists attacked Theodore Roosevelt for clearing plant-growing houses to create the West Wing, according to the White House Historical Association — a bipartisan entity established by Jackie Kennedy.
Meanwhile, former President Truman's pricey, now-iconic balcony was criticized as frivolous in a post-war economy.
It's also not the first Trump-era Rose Garden pruning. First lady Melania Trump unveiled a muted version — sans crabapple trees — in their first term.
What they're saying: " The South Portico, the North Portico, the East Wing, the West Wing, and the Truman Balcony all raised concerns at the time — but today, we can't imagine the White House without these iconic elements," says association president Stewart D. McLaurin in a statement to Axios.
Flashback: The Rose Garden's grassy space has hosted many high-profile moments since its 1963 unveiling. Think Tricia Nixon's wedding, Brazilian soccer legend Pelé juggling balls, and countless turkey pardons.
Between the beds: The Kennedys commissioned philanthropist and garden queen Rachel "Bunny" Mellon to fashion their Rose Garden.
