Politics
Trump alters White House Rose Garden with stone patio and historical statues
The outdoor renovation introduces sculptures of American founders and replaces the lawn as part of broader construction across White House grounds.
The short version
- President Donald Trump has renovated the White House Rose Garden by installing a white stone patio in place of its grass lawn and adding several historical statues.
- The added sculptures depict figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin, along with a Revolutionary War monument titled 'Freedom’s Charge'.
- The changes fit into a series of broader architectural and grounds projects, including an Oval Office makeover, a south grounds ballroom, a helipad, and a proposed 250-statue garden near the National Mall.
- Preservation and heritage organizations have filed lawsuits challenging the proposed National Garden of American Heroes, contending that the project requires congressional authorization.
Key facts
- The White House Rose Garden's grass lawn was replaced with a white stone patio to display historical statues.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Sculptor George Lundeen gifted a bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson to the White House, while a George Washington statue was lent by real estate developer Harlan Crow.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Statues of Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin were provided by anonymous donors, and a 14-foot bronze sculpture titled 'Freedom’s Charge' was relocated from Dallas to the patio.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Trump's wider estate and city construction plans include a ballroom and helipad on the south grounds and a proposed National Garden of American Heroes near the National Mall.[ABC News · Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The legal outcome remains unresolved for lawsuits brought by cultural heritage groups seeking to halt the proposed National Garden of American Heroes over lack of congressional approval.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- The donors who provided the Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin statues have not been publicly identified.[ABC News · Associated Press]