President Donald Trump criticized the “stupid people” who left a “gash” in the limestone of the recently renovated White House Rose Garden.
The 79-year-old president shared his frustration on Truth Social on August 30, along with security footage showing when the damage appeared in the stone patio. He said he has fired the contractor responsible for the mistake and promised the team would “never” return to the White House.
“I used, at the White House, the most beautiful marble and stone available anywhere,” Trump wrote. “Surfaces are very important to me as a Builder. As everyone knows, I built many GREAT Buildings, and other things, over the years. At the White House, I am very proud of the beautiful stonework we did in the Rose Garden, in this case, using limestone plus.”
He added: “The Rose Garden is completed, and far more beautiful than anyone ever had in mind when it was conceived of, decades ago.” He then described the moment he noticed the flaw.
Trump wrote, “Three days ago, while admiring the stonework, I happened to notice a huge gash in the limestone that extended more than 25 yards long. It was deep and nasty! I started yelling, ‘Who did this, and I want to find out now!’”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2):format(webp)/Rose-Garden-Patio-083025-2-a32acc061a224846a94574b36d71555e.jpg)
He admitted he “didn’t say this in a nice manner.”
Trump continued, “I wondered, ‘Was it vandalism or, was it stupidity?’ Lo and behold, because of the fact that we’ve installed the finest security equipment anywhere, they brought back the stupid people, with their boss watching (in sunglasses!).”
He explained the damage was caused by “a subcontractor that was installing heavy landscaping on a steel cart that was broken and tilting badly, with it rubbing hard against the soft, beautiful stone.”
“I love and respect great workers and contractors, but something like this should never happen. Now, I’ll replace the stone, charge the contractor, and never let that contractor work at the White House again,” Trump wrote.
He also praised the security system, adding, “But how great is the video equipment? We caught them, cold.”
The 40-second video he attached shows two employees wheeling a plant around the garden in a cart while another used a leaf blower. At one point, the cart fell off the stone, got stuck, and was then lifted back onto the path. The boss later appeared in the footage, also holding a leaf blower. It is unclear from the video exactly where the “gash” is located.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2):format(webp)/donald-trump-081525-7f8e60454f63489ea3208962e0ef256d.jpg)
When renovations on the White House Rose Garden began in early June, a White House official described the work as a “restoration” and said Donald and first lady Melania Trump “have deep respect for the history of the White House and for the Rose Garden.”
“This restoration to the Rose Garden preserves the beauty of the space and builds on the work done in 2020,” the official said, referring to Melania’s previous redesign, “with a focus on enhancing practical use and guest experience for those attending special events.”
