So, it looks like the White House Rose Garden isn’t what it used to be. The place that everyone knew and loved, the one that reminded us all of Jackie Kennedy’s style and grace, has gone through quite the makeover. Now it’s all concrete and gray, and people aren’t exactly thrilled about it. If you’ve been scrolling through social media, you’ve probably seen the pictures.
The reaction has been pretty intense, with some calling it “tacky and tasteless,” saying it looks like it was picked out from a Hobby Lobby sale nobody wanted. The noise about this change is louder than the bulldozers that did the work. A lot of people are already demanding that, the moment the Trumps are out of office, the garden should go back to its old self.
Pictures from July 22 and 23 reveal a garden that’s now all about tiles and concrete instead of roses. Turns out, construction teams were hard at work finishing up the renovation, sheltered by these big, sun-blocking tents.
Why the significant change? Well, Donald Trump revealed to Fox News back in March. He said it’s all for safety, especially for “women, with the high heels, it just didn’t work.” Apparently, the old setup wasn’t cutting it for them; they’d trip and fall during press gatherings. So, he went ahead and turned the beautiful garden into a patio.
He just paved over it to prevent any more stumbling.
For a lot of Americans, and especially those who are fans of presidential history, the Rose Garden is much more than a simple lawn. It was first set up back in 1913 and then got a fabulous makeover from Jackie Kennedy in the ’60s to serve as the backdrop for press conferences and fancy shindigs. Now, people are comparing it to an extra area of Mar-a-Lago.
President Trump is reportedly eyeing plans to pave over the historic Rose Garden at the White House, giving it the patio-like feel of his club in Florida.
Read more: https://t.co/8mSMIfk3O3 pic.twitter.com/CQqlvDQPeS
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) March 28, 2025
In case you didn’t catch it, The New York Times reported in February that Trump told his team he was after a look “to resemble a patio like the one he has at Mar-a-Lago.” Later, he fessed up to wanting a “stone surface” to The Spectator.
People online have let it rip. One viral comment on Instagram called it “The Trump aesthetic.” Someone else put it even more directly: “How fitting. They destroy everything living and beautiful.” There were also many such complaints about the bigger picture of getting rid of the history connected to President John F. Kennedy.
It’s not his house, many agreed that he doesn’t need to gut its soul.
AP PHOTOS: A look back at the White House Rose Garden as Trump’s paved makeover nears completion https://t.co/Bba8br4r6d
— Hartford Courant (@hartfordcourant) July 25, 2025
On top of all the drama going on, the Republican party is throwing a new idea into the mix: they want to change the name of the Opera House at the Kennedy Center to honor Melania Trump. JFK’s grandson is not having it and says it’s tone-deaf.
After the work on the Rose Garden wrapped up around the middle of August this year, someone out there is crossing their fingers, saying, “I hope the next administration rips that concrete out and puts back Jackie’s roses.”
Until that happens, the Rose Garden might as well be called the Rose Gone.
