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President Donald Trump is planning a redesign of Lafayette Square that would feature exactly 47 maple trees, a symbolic tribute to his role as the nation’s 47th president, according to a report published Sunday.
The proposal would reshape the historic public park immediately north of the White House, which the president has described as “the entrance to the White House,” as renovation work continues beyond the administration’s original July 4 completion target.
According to The Washington Post, citing two people familiar with the plans, the idea to plant 47 maple trees originated with Trump himself.
Officials cautioned that the proposal has not been finalized and remains subject to the president’s formal approval, consistent with his hands-on involvement in White House design and construction projects.
A White House official said that President Trump personally inspected the renovation work Sunday morning. Lafayette Square has traditionally contained several dozen trees, some of which have been removed during the ongoing rehabilitation.
It remains unclear how many additional maple trees would be planted to reach the total of 47 or whether existing trees would be removed to achieve that number.
The park is part of President’s Park and is managed by the National Park Service, which has described the project as a major rehabilitation effort tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The president told reporters in the Oval Office on June 3 that Americans would soon see “something that’s incredible” at Lafayette Square before Independence Day.
According to The Washington Post, however, the reopening has been delayed until at least August. The report also said the administration plans to install permanent fencing along two sides of the park, a security measure long sought by the U.S. Secret Service.
In previous statements, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said Lafayette Square is “finally being restored to its former glory,” while the Interior Department described the renovation as long overdue ahead of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration.
The Lafayette Square project is part of a broader series of renovations President Trump has pursued in Washington, including plans for a new White House ballroom, changes to the Rose Garden, and renovations to the Palm Room and the West Wing colonnade.
