Trump Weighs Permanent White House Helipad
Proposal to add a South Lawn helipad aims to protect grass from VH-92A Patriot exhaust and rotors.
Washington TimesTrump planning to build helipad at White House
Breitbart NewsReport: Trump Eyes Helipad for White House
FOX NewsTrump eyes new White House lawn project that could reshape presidential travel
Straight Arrow NewsTrump weighs White House helipad as new Marine One would burn South Lawn: Reports
Overview
President Donald Trump is considering a permanent helipad on the White House South Lawn for the VH-92A Patriot, according to people familiar with the plans and multiple reports.
The proposal responds to concerns that the VH-92A's stronger rotors and exhaust can scorch the grass and that the aircraft can carry 6,200 pounds more than the older VH-3D, the reports said.
Retired Marine Colonel Ray L'Heureux questioned permanent changes and suggested temporary pads could suffice, while White House spokesman Davis Ingle defended the president's ongoing White House improvements, according to reporting.
The Marine Corps has 23 VH-92A helicopters at a cost of nearly $5 billion, and a 2019 Government Accountability Office report listed each VH-92A at about $215 million, according to reporting.
It is unclear when construction would occur or who would fund it, and planning reportedly includes a helipad at Mar-a-Lago, while the White House provided no further details, the reporting said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the helipad proposal as part of a pattern of disruptive White House changes, using evocative language and selective sources to imply criticism. They highlight iconic imagery ('alter one of the most familiar images', 'paving over the Rose Garden'), prioritize skeptical former military voices, and note the White House's lack of response to emphasize concern.