President Donald Trump announced that construction is moving forward on what he described as a “beautiful” new helipad at the White House, the latest in a series of major renovations he has personally championed for the historic presidential residence.

The new landing pad is being built on the South Lawn, where presidents and their families have traditionally walked across the grass for decades to board or disembark from the presidential helicopter, Marine One.

According to a report by the Washington Post, contractors have been instructed to accelerate construction so the project can be completed before an anticipated state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, reportedly expected in September.

Speaking to reporters, Trump highlighted the design of the new helipad, emphasizing that it will feature an engraved White House seal.

“So now we’re building a helipad, beautiful helipad, and it’s got the seal of the White House on it — in granite, carved granite, it’s… really a beautiful thing,” Trump told reporters.

Trump explained that the project is intended to address problems caused by the new fleet of presidential helicopters manufactured by Sikorsky.

While previous reports have noted that the helicopters’ powerful engines scorch the White House lawn, Trump said the problem goes even further, with the rotor wash literally tearing the grass out of the ground.

“So they landed the helicopter, and half of the grass was sitting in front of the Oval Office front door. The rest of it was scattered all over,” he said.

According to Trump, Sikorsky agreed to finance the entire project because the company acknowledged responsibility for the damage.

“It’s about $5 or $6 million — they’re paying the full cost, and when I heard they were paying the cost, I went out and said, ‘let’s do a beauty, let’s not just do a piece of concrete and paint it white,'” he said.

The Washington Post, however, reported that the total cost of the project is expected to exceed $13 million, with that figure also covering renovations to the South Portico and the nearby driveway.

At the same time, construction continues on another ambitious White House undertaking: Trump’s planned addition of a large ballroom to the executive mansion.

That project has already resulted in the demolition of the historic East Wing and has sparked a legal challenge from critics who argue such extensive alterations should not proceed without congressional approval.

Addressing supporters later in the White House Rose Garden—which Trump has transformed into a patio resembling the grounds of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida—the president expressed frustration over the legal opposition.

“In this world we’re living, especially if your name is Trump, you get sued,” he said.

Trump also asserted that the lawsuit had inadvertently revealed plans for what he described as a top-secret “tremendous military center” being constructed beneath the new ballroom.

The president has also floated the possibility of redesigning the North Portico’s historic 200-year-old Ionic columns, saying he favors the more elaborate Corinthian style. The columns have recently been surrounded by scaffolding as work continues.

Over the weekend, Trump shared architectural renderings on social media depicting Corinthian-style columns adorned with lion-head designs as a possible new look for the White House façade.

{Matzav.com}