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Russian (RU) Hilary Hanson
Sat, August 2, 2025 at 4:22 PM UTC
3 min read
New Photos Reveal Iconic White House Rose Garden Paved Over After Trump Makeover
President Donald Trump’slong-promised overhaul of the White House Rose Garden became reality in photos taken this week.
The White House Rose Garden's new look, courtesy of Trump, on Aug. 1. Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The green lawn at the center of the garden, used for decades for White House events, has been replaced with what appeared to be white stone. Some foliage remained, with rose bushes and hedges bordering the new patio area.
The White House Rose Garden renovation, nearly complete, on July 29. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
The changes fulfilled Trump’s former vow to pave over the garden. He said the grass got too wet and the terrain made it hard for women to walk in high heels.
President Barack Obama plays with Bo the dog in the Rose Garden in 2010. Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images
This is the second time the Rose Garden has undergone big changes with Trump in office. In 2020, First Lady Melania Trump oversaw her own Rose Garden makeover, which involved adding pathways, planting new rose bushes and tearing out some of the garden’s previous vegetation, including its beloved crab apple trees.
A view of the White House Rose Garden following Melania Trump's renovations in August 2020. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
While her updates drew some backlash at the time, the changes weren’t nearly as stark as her husband’s new redesign.
A groundskeeper waters flowers in the Rose Garden in July 2021, around a year after Melania Trump's renovation. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
This week, critics blasted the garden’s new look on social media.
That said, some people liked it, with fans noting that it includes drains shaped like American flags.
Revamping the garden isn’t the only thing on Trump’s White House renovation docket. He also plans spend $200 million tearing down the East Wing to construct a ballroom.
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