United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump has ordered new last-minute changes to the new helipad at the White House, forcing the contractors to dismantle weeks of work and implement changes, which could potentially extend the project’s completion timeline.
According to the Washington Post,the new photos obtained by the publication show contractors taking apart their work at the helipad, which was ordered to be built without any official notice.
Reports suggest that Clark Construction, which received the project directly without a competitive bidding process, was ordered in July to complete the work on the site by September 17.
The 80-year-old Republican leader demanded the helipad completion for an “upcoming state visit.”
The deadline aligns with Trump’s invitation for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Washington on September 24.
This deadline to complete the work early has added an estimated $875,000 to the price tag of the helipad construction. The helipad is part of a $13 million renovation project that also included work on the South Portico and driveway.
Previously, the 47th POTUS has revealed that jet-making company Lockheed Martin’s subsidiary, Sikorsky, will cover around $5 million to $6 million of the helipad’s cost.
New development in the project could leave taxpayers covering the additional costs, despite Trump’s earlier statement that Sikorsky would fund much of the project.
2026-08-05 01:28:00
