White House Helipad is Trump’s Latest Construction Project

New infrastructure could mitigate the Sikorsky VH-92A helicopter’s penchant for charring the South Lawn.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, July 01, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

Sikorsky’s VH-92A, a variant of the manufacturer’s S-92, is one of several helicopters that bears the call sign Marine One when carrying the president. [Credit: Naval Air Systems Command/ Owen Hoffmann]

Key Takeaways:

The White House's South Lawn is undergoing a renovation to construct a new helipad, primarily to accommodate the VH-92A Patriot helicopters which previously couldn't land due to their exhaust charring the grass.
Initiated by President Donald Trump, this project addresses the operational limitations of the new Marine One aircraft, with Sikorsky's parent company, Lockheed Martin, donating $5 million towards its funding.
The VH-92A Patriot helicopters, despite being part of a long-delayed replacement for older presidential rotorcraft, have been restricted from White House operations due to issues with their exhaust heat and communication systems.

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The White House’s picturesque South Lawn is reportedly getting a renovation that would stop helicopters from charring the grass.

The Washington Post on Tuesday reported that, overnight, crews descended on the South Lawn to begin building a new helipad near the traditional landing spot for Marine One, the call sign for whichever helicopter is carrying the president. One of these rotorcraft, Sikorsky’s VH-92A Patriot, has never lifted off from the White House due to its penchant for torching the lawn.