President Donald Trump’s proposal to transform the White House Rose Garden into a Mar-a-Lago-style patio is getting slammed from all sides. The plan was revealed late Friday, sending political commentators and social media users into a frenzy.
According to The New York Times, Trump has discussed replacing the iconic Rose Garden’s grass with a solid surface—possibly limestone or something easy to swap out. And in true Trump fashion, he’s even considering adding hardwood floors for dancing.
As expected, the backlash was swift and intense.
“Trump, the least classiest person in America, wants to rip up the White House Rose Garden and put in a patio like Mar-a-Lago,” author Mark Chadbourn wrote on Bluesky.
Comedian Patton Oswalt couldn’t resist: “I beg your pardon, he never promised us a rose garden.”
“Haven’t the Trumps already destroyed the Rose Garden enough already?” political junkie Russell Drew posted on X. “And please don’t tell me that Lara Trump is going to be there to sing for the grand opening.”
Claude Taylor, who worked in the Clinton White House, summed it up in two words: “Despicable trash.”
HuffPost’s senior White House correspondent, S.V. Dáte, sarcastically added, “Why just a patio? Why not a hotel?”
For context, the Rose Garden was created by Jackie Kennedy and has long been a symbol of the White House.
In response to the criticism, White House communications director Steven Cheung defended the move, claiming that Trump aims to restore the garden’s historical grandeur.
“The White House has not been given any tender, loving care in many decades, so President Trump is taking necessary steps in order to preserve and restore the greatness and glory of ‘the People’s House,’” Cheung told The Times.
