White House Covers North Portico With Tarps During Column Repairs

A White House official told CNN the work is standard restoration to repair stones in the columns.

Construction crews began work on a previously unannounced helipad on the South Lawn last week. Contractor records obtained by the Washington Post show the project was accelerated and an additional $875,000 was added to the $13 million budget ahead of an upcoming state visit.

Trump has also started demolition of the East Wing for a new ballroom project expected to cost $600 million, more than half of which would come from taxpayer funds, the Washington Post reported.

Tarps have covered the Kennedy Center sign for nearly a month after a court ordered removal of Trump’s name from the venue. A federal judge last month directed the center to explain the tarps by the end of July. The Kennedy Center is appealing a May court ruling that blocked efforts to add Trump’s name and close the venue for renovations.

An estimate by the New York Times put the total cost of 18 major construction projects launched across Washington at $1.2 billion, with a White House official indicating most funding would come from taxpayers.

Trump launched an effort to remodel major Washington landmarks in his second term, including a restoration of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool that refilled with algae and led to criminal charges for alleged vandalism. He has also remodeled the Rose Garden and several interior rooms and started a $17 million renovation of Lafayette Park.

Trump has proposed a 250-foot arch in Washington, but Democratic lawmakers say the project requires congressional approval.