President Trump inaugurated a new White House helipad on Monday without a single major television network camera present to capture the ceremony.
The absence of broadcast coverage came after the networks suspended the TV pool system earlier that same day, a collective protest against the White House’s decision to bar CNN from participating in press events. Trump, 78, proceeded with the ribbon-cutting anyway, using a pair of golden scissors on a red, white and blue ribbon while surrounded by the construction workers who built the $6 million granite landing pad.
The president dubbed the project “a work of art” during the ceremony, according to the White House’s own social media broadcast. Marine One sat behind him with its engine running, and the rotor noise was so loud that his remarks could not be heard on the administration’s feed. There was no national media TV camera — and its powerful boom mic — present to record clearer audio or wider footage for distribution to outlets around the world.
The White House fired back at the networks’ pool suspension with a pointed statement: “Access changes are nothing new. What is new, however, is the sudden claim that it becomes sacred only when the outlets are friendly to the Radical Left. The rule was never ‘every outlet gets in.’ It was always ‘our side stays in.'”
After cutting the ribbon, Trump walked down a line of construction workers, shaking their hands and thanking them individually. He then boarded the presidential helicopter for a short flight to Joint Base Andrews, where he connected with Air Force One for travel to New York.
The new helipad was built specifically to accommodate the VH-92A Patriot, the supersized replacement for Marine One that is heavier and emits more heat than its predecessor. That additional heat would have damaged the grass on the South Lawn, making the reinforced granite pad necessary for regular operations.
The construction joins a growing list of physical changes Trump has pursued during his second term. Other projects include building a new White House ballroom, constructing an arch on the grounds, and possible demolition work at the Kennedy Center. The helipad features the seal of the United States embedded in its surface.
Trump’s Monday itinerary continued with attendance at the UN General Assembly in New York and a meeting with Mayor Mamdani.