President Donald Trump's attention to construction details has resulted in solving what he described as a White House mystery involving extensive damage to the Rose Garden's recently installed limestone surface, USA TODAY reported.
The president revealed on Truth Social on Saturday that he had identified the party responsible for creating a 25-yard gash in the "limestone plus" material that was recently installed in the Rose Garden. "Three days ago, while admiring the stonework, I happened to notice a huge gash in the limestone that extended more than 25 yards long. It was deep and nasty!," Trump wrote on the platform. "I started yelling, 'Who did this, and I want to find out now!' — And I didn't say this in a nice manner. I wondered, 'Was it vandalism or, was it stupidity?'"
The White House's advanced security system, which Trump described as having the "finest security equipment anywhere," enabled staff to review video footage and identify those responsible for the damage.
The damage occurred when a subcontractor used a steel cart that was "broken and tilting badly, with it rubbing hard against the soft, beautiful stone," Trump explained in his social media post.
The president outlined his planned response to the incident. Trump stated he would "replace the stone, charge the contractor, and never let that contractor work at the White House again," USA TODAY reported. "Surfaces are very important to me as a Builder," the president wrote in his Truth Social post.
The limestone installation was part of a Rose Garden renovation project that had been underway throughout the summer months, with the project having been completed when Trump discovered the damage, according to USA TODAY. The White House has not specified when repairs to the damaged section will be finished. Trump had previously explained that the new surface was designed to prevent women's heels from sinking into muddy ground.
The Rose Garden project represents one element of Trump's broader renovation efforts at the White House, which have included changes to the Oval Office decor featuring golden accents, the replacement of grass with white stone in the Rose Garden, and plans for constructing a 90,000-square-foot ballroom in the East Wing, USA TODAY reported.
