Americans Outraged Over White House Dramatic Makeover of Iconic Rose Garden

The White House Rose Garden has undergone a major makeover just days before First Lady Melania Trump will deliver a speech there during the Republican National Convention on Tuesday. The first lady showed off photos of the new look early Saturday, and many were not happy. Aside from the pastel-colored flowers in the garden, there are few splashes of color, and before-and-after photos show several trees were removed.

The White House said the renovations were paid with private donations, and they did not reveal how much it cost, reports The Associated Press. It took three weeks to renovate the garden, which was inspired by the original 1962 look implemented by Rachel “Bunny” Mellon during President John F. Kennedy’s administration. The garden includes taller white roses in honor of Pope John Paul II’s visit to the White House in 1979. There are also new diamond-shape boxwoods. Twelve crabapple trees were removed and will be replanted at the White House grounds.

The new design also includes a three-foot-wide limestone walking path around the central lawn. The renovation plan, which was announced earlier this year, also includes technical fixes and improving the infrastructure to make it easily accessible for people with disabilities. “Protecting the historic integrity of the White House landscape is a considerable responsibility, and we will fulfill our duty as custodians of the public trust,” Trump said when announcing the renovations.

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The first lady will be using the Rose Garden as a backdrop for her RNC speech. President Donald Trump will give his speech on Thursday on the White House South Lawn, where a stage is under construction. The Trump family will be the first to deliver convention speeches at the White House, a move that has sparked plenty of controversies. Critics have accused Trump of using the White House as a political prop, delivering speeches attacking former Vice President Joe Biden, and hosting other campaign-style events.

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The House Oversight Committee is questioning if the speech will be a violation of another federal law which bars the coercion of federal employees to take part in political activities, reports Politico. There were also concerns about the speech violating the Hatch Act, which bans federal employees from taking part in some political activities. However, the president and vice president are not covered by the act.

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