White House Makeover
White House North Portico Undergoes Trump-Ordered Restoration Amid Broader Renovation Drive
Key Points
President Trump personally requested repairs to the White House North Portico columns, according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who oversees the National Park Service project.
Tarps covering the North Portico are printed with images of the columns that are under repair, masking the renovation work.
A previously unannounced helipad on the White House South Lawn is part of the upgrades, a $13 million project that reportedly added $875,000 in anticipation of an upcoming state visit, with the likely target being Chinese President Xi Jinping; the renovations also include a costly ballroom project.
White House officials described the North Portico restoration as standard restoration work to repair stones and expect it to be finished very quickly.
Scaffolding and tarps now cover the White House North Portico, the iconic columned entrance facing Pennsylvania Avenue, as crews scrape away decades of paint from the columns. The tarps themselves are printed with a detailed image of the columns underneath — so passersby still get a familiar view, according to Yahoo News.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said President Trump personally requested the repairs. White House officials described the work as standard restoration to fix the stone in the columns and said it should be finished "very quickly," according to The Hill.
Trump Personally Pushed for Column Repairs
The North Portico restoration is not a routine maintenance call. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Trump specifically asked for the repairs, according to The Hill. The National Park Service, which falls under Burgum's department, is overseeing the project. Officials say the stone in the columns had deteriorated and needed attention.
The tarp covering the work is no ordinary construction wrap. It was pre-printed with an accurate, detailed image of the portico's columns, according to AOL News. The effect makes the renovation nearly invisible from the street — a clean visual stand-in for the real thing.
Helipad, Ballroom, and a $13 Million Upgrade Spree
The North Portico work is just one piece of a much larger renovation push. A new helipad on the White House South Lawn was built as part of a $13 million project, according to The Sun. The helipad was not publicly announced before construction began.
The project reportedly added $875,000 in costs tied to a coming state visit. The likely guest: Chinese President Xi Jinping. The renovations also include an ambitious ballroom remodel, part of what officials describe as a broad effort to upgrade the historic residence, according to The Sun.
Washington Landmarks Reshaped Under Trump's Watch
The White House changes are part of a wider pattern. The Trump administration has launched multiple high-profile construction and remodeling projects across Washington since the start of his current term. Critics and observers have taken notice, with varied reactions to the scale and pace of the changes.
The North Portico alone is one of the most recognized images in American politics. Covering it — even temporarily — draws attention. The administration has framed all the work as necessary upkeep for a historic building, according to The Hill. Officials say the portico restoration will be done soon.
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