President Donald Trump on Tuesday delivered remarks in the freshly revitalized Rose Garden, elevating the beauty of the White House, discussing new renovation and building projects, and emphasizing the success of his unprecedented administration.
“This has been a labor of love,” President Trump said. “You know, we took over a building that was not properly taken care of…we are taking care of it.”
He said the Rose Garden was previously a mess of soft grass and mud, which would cause problems for visitors. “Everybody would just sink into the mud,” he said.
Now, the Rose Garden has been smoothed and flattened, and on Tuesday, it was the site of a special luncheon that included key Republican leaders in Washington.
The president also pointed out that the White House, at his direction, had recently begun construction of a new ballroom, which is being privately funded by the president and by other donors.
He paused and pointed out that, from the Rose Garden, the audience could hear the sound of ongoing construction. “Music to my ears,” he said with a small smile. “When I hear that sound, it reminds me of money, but in this case, it reminds me of lack of money, because I’m paying for it.”
President Trump said, “the whole White House is being redone,” and he noted that the freshly renovated Rose Garden patio would be utilized for meetings and press conferences.
The president was in good spirits on Tuesday during his remarks. The weather in the Rose Garden was fair and balmy, and it came on the heels of President Trump receiving the Richard Nixon Foundation’s Architect of Peace Award just hours beforehand.
Lastly, President Trump touched briefly on the government shutdown, which is nearing one full month of closure.
“From the beginning, our message has been very simple: we will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs,” President Trump said. “….Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats need to vote for the clean, bipartisan CR and reopen our government.”
“THEY are the obstructionists,” he added.
