White House gets $6 million Lockheed-funded helipad for Marine One

Key facts

• A permanent helipad is under construction on the White House South Lawn.
• Sikorsky Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, is funding the helipad construction.
• The helipad is intended to protect the South Lawn from new Marine One helicopters.
• The helipad will be made of granite.
• President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Scotts Miracle-Gro.
• Scotts Miracle-Gro provided free lawn service to the White House South Lawn.
• Ethics experts expressed concern over the endorsement.
• The concern relates to endorsing companies that offer favors.

Construction is underway on a permanent helipad on the White House South Lawn, a project funded by Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin. The new helipad is designed to support the operation of the new, more powerful Marine One helicopters. Its construction on the South Lawn is intended to protect the historic grounds from the significant downdraft generated by the new aircraft.

In a related development, President Donald Trump has publicly promoted Scotts Miracle-Gro, a company that recently provided complimentary lawn service to the White House South Lawn. Trump praised the company's grass quality, specifically mentioning their work on the South Lawn. This action has drawn criticism from ethics experts, who have voiced concerns about the appropriateness of a president endorsing a company that has provided services to the White House, particularly when those services were rendered free of charge. The experts suggest this practice could create the appearance of impropriety or a quid pro quo arrangement.

The helipad project addresses the need for a stable and protected landing zone for presidential transport, given the increased power and potential for damage from the newer generation of Marine One helicopters. The South Lawn, a prominent and historically significant area of the White House grounds, requires preservation efforts. The use of a granite pad is a measure to mitigate the impact of the helicopter operations. The endorsement of Scotts Miracle-Gro by President Trump highlights ongoing scrutiny of his administration's interactions with businesses and potential conflicts of interest.