Trump introduces new helipad, ballroom at White House South Lawn

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday guides the Washington press corps for a tour across some of his latest construction projects on the historic White House South Lawn, including a massive granite helipad and the $400 million ballroom, boasting their engineering strength while dismissing concerns over escalating costs and legal challenges.

With sounds of construction clanging, the impromptu press briefing sees Trump introducing granite pieces from a quarry in California being laid on what used to be an asphalt driveway, which he asserts is not appropriate for the White House.

Trump claims the circular helipad donated by helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky is necessary because exhaust from the new helicopters used to scorch the grass.

He says: "And the helipad, I think you'll be very excited to see. It's really something very, very special. Come on over here. This is a path leading with the same exact granite, very strong granite...It will never break. It will never leak. It will never do anything. This is the highest quality stone you can get."

The Republican president goes on to boast that the pristine granite slabs are "rated a million-year plus" that could withstand pressure of 3,500 pounds per square inch.

"The Seal of the United States of America" is carved into the stone in large letters.

Trump tells reporters, "This will be here long after we're gone, no matter what happens with the world, this is not moving."

The chopper landing area is designed to accommodate the weight of the latest Marine One fleet.

Trump admits that the helipad is near completion, after he ordered to delay ongoing work to ensure it could be regraded to lay flatter ahead of a September state visit by President Xi Jinping. "This is going to look incredible from the air and from every place. And again, this is going be used for a lot of different celebrations, a lot different big meetings where, as an example, President Xi is coming in a little while, a couple of weeks, and we didn't plan to have this done, but it's gone so well.

As the tour comes to a close, Trump signs his name on the back of an eagle-emblazoned marble stone destined to be embedded into the foundation, chuckling he does not know if anyone is ever going to see the signature again.

Behind the scenes, the renovation of the landmark grounds has not come without controversy.

The administration was locked in lawsuit against the construction of the ballroom without congressional approval and has unsuccessfully sought to secure funding from Congress to add military improvements to its structure.

But Trump says work is continuing regardless and part of the complex will be five stories deep underground. He states, "This will be the greatest military complex slash ballroom anywhere in the world."

{DANNI ZHOU TVB NEWS}

{Trump introduces new helipad, ballroom at White House South Lawn}

{TAG:}