President Trump’s controversial redesign of the historic White House Rose Garden appears to be complete. The latest photos of the project, taken August 1st, show a number of tables and chairs atop a flat stone surface where the historic lawn once stood.
Work continues in paving over the White House Rose Garden lawn on July 23, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Shortly after Trump began his second term, rumors that he wanted to alter the landscape significantly started to circualte. In February 2025, the New York Times reported that the President had told associates he “wanted to replace the lawn with a hard surface to resemble a patio like the one he has at Mar-a-Lago.”
Trump then confirmed his plans in an interview with The Spectator revealing that he wanted to add a “stone surface” to the grounds. “It’s going to be beautiful. It’s going to look, I think it’s actually going to look better. But some people would like to leave it. But the problem is you can’t. We had the press here yesterday. Do you see the women there? They’re going crazy. The grass was wet. Their heels are going right through the grass, like four inches deep,” he said.
The renovation of the White House Rose Garden.
He repeated his reasoning again in March in an interview with Laura Ingraham. “You know, we use [the Rose Garden] for press conferences, and it doesn’t work because the people fall,” he said. “The terrain can be wet, and the soft ground can be an issue for some… Women, with the high heels, it just didn’t work.”
“The roses stay. No, it’s a rose garden,” he continued. “No, all of this is just the center section … I think it’s going to be beautiful. I think it’s going to be more beautiful.”
The White House Rose Garden, which up until recently more resembled a grass lawn lined with rose bushes and other plants rather than a traditional, sprawling garden, has roots dating back to the early 20th century, but the iconic modern design was established during the Kennedy administration by philanthropist and decorator Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon. For decades it has hosted a variety of events from formal dinners to press briefings and awards presentations.
President George W. Bush’s dog Barney walking in the Rose Garden of White House in September 2007.
“The President had noted that the White House had no garden equal in quality or attractiveness to the gardens that he had seen and in which he had been entertained in Europe. There he had recognized the importance of gardens surrounding an official residence and their appeal to the sensibilities of all people,” Mellon would later recall. “He wanted to start, in the greatest haste, to remake the area near his office at the west end of the White House, known as the Rose Garden, into an area both useful and attractive.”
John F. Kennedy Jr. in the White House Rose Garden in April 1963.
During Trump’s first term, first lady Melania Trump refreshed the garden, marking the first major changes to the design in 60 years, a renovation which itself was controversial. “This restoration to the Rose Garden preserves the beauty of the space and builds on the work done in 2020,” an unnamed official recently told People, “with a focus on enhancing practical use and guest experience for those attending special events.”
The new photo of the Rose Garden was taken just one day after President Trump shared further plans to alter the White House. On July 31st, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the administration would be constructing a new ballroom, adding an additional 90,000 total square feet to the People’s House. It will be “substantially separated from the main building of the White House, but at the same time, its theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical,” Leavitt said. Per the White House, construction is set to begin in September and the project, which will cost around $200 million, “is expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump’s term.” The White House also noted that Trump and other “patriot donors” have committed to donating the funds.
Caroline Hallemann is the Digital Director at Town & Country, where she covers culture, society, and entertainment, as well as the British royal family, among a variety of other topics. Prior to leading the digital team at T&C, she served as the brand’s Senior News Editor and Digital News Director, and has previously held positions at Travel + Leisure, DailyCandy, and Parenting Magazine. Caroline is also currently writing a book about the Kennedy family and the British royals, and she lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and their son, Tommy. You can find her on Instagram at the handle @challemann and on TikTok at @carolinehallemann.