President Trump has undertaken a significant renovation of the White House Rose Garden, replacing the historic lawn with a white stone patio and populating the space with statues of prominent American founders. The redesigned garden now resembles the layout of a similar space at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Florida.
The most recent addition to the garden is a bronze statue depicting Thomas Jefferson signing the Declaration of Independence, created by sculptor George Lundeen of Colorado. Lundeen stated he had created the sculpture decades earlier and decided to refurbish it as a gift to the White House in time for the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations. Though the statue initially failed to arrive before Independence Day due to transportation delays, Trump viewed photographs of the work and approved its placement in the Rose Garden. The president subsequently contacted Lundeen by phone to express appreciation for the gift.
The Rose Garden now displays statues of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin in addition to the Jefferson sculpture. The White House confirmed that the Washington statue came from Harlan Crow, a Texas real estate executive and Republican donor. A fifth sculpture titled “Freedom’s Charge,” a 14-foot bronze work depicting two Revolutionary War soldiers, was relocated from Dallas. The sources of the Franklin and Hamilton statues remain anonymous, according to the White House.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle characterized the garden renovations as part of Trump’s broader effort to beautify federal spaces. Ingle stated that Trump has undertaken restoration work on various landmarks and parks, describing the president’s vision as ensuring “America rang in its 250th birthday celebration with glory and pride.” The statue garden project aligns with Trump’s other White House modifications, including renovations to the Oval Office and construction projects on the south grounds, as well as his plans for additional sculpture installations on federal land near the National Mall.
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