(images via the official Twitter account of the First Lady)
The White House Rose Garden has been spruced up in time for its moment in the campaign spotlight. First lady Melania Trump will deliver her Republican National Convention speech Tuesday night from the garden, famous for its close proximity to the Oval Office.
The three weeks of work on the garden, which was done in the spirit of its original 1962 design, were showcased to reporters on Saturday. White House officials said the renovations were paid for by private donations. They declined to reveal the cost of the work.
The location of the first lady’s speech will be just one of the ways that the Republican National Convention will break with political norms.
Many folks on Twitter were aghast that the First Lady ripped out all of the color and 12 mature crabapple trees that were planted by First Lady Jackie Kennedy. I’m not one to attack presidential spouses, but the results are less than “better.”
Excited to honor history & celebrate the future in our beautiful @WhiteHouse Rose Garden this evening. Thank you to all who helped renew this iconic & truly gorgeous space. pic.twitter.com/ggiqLkdGbw
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 22, 2020
Before and after photographs of newly renovated White House Rose Garden: courtesy #Getty and @marycjordan pic.twitter.com/w6bzoNHMjC
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) August 22, 2020
Here is the colorful, happy Rose Garden under Obama, and here is Melania’s unveiling of the new garden, entirely devoid of color or joy. pic.twitter.com/j9cNXC63tC
— Jennifer Wright (@JenAshleyWright) August 22, 2020
I still find it unbelievable that @FLOTUS who has only been a citizen since the middle of GW Bush’s second term had the audacity to wreck the Rose Garden, to pull up history dating back a lifetime. These trashy, evil, stupid people need to get out of our house. What GALL she has.
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) August 22, 2020
Can we talk about how Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden was colorful and diverse and beautiful and Melania just made it… white? pic.twitter.com/6jIendxup9
— Santiago Mayer (@santiagomayer_) August 22, 2020
Anyone notice anything different? pic.twitter.com/9kuiyiE6Hx
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) August 22, 2020
they spent millions to make the white house look like a hampton inn on a turnpike? https://t.co/xZzrATObNf
— Florida Chris (@chrislongview) August 22, 2020
In addition to the first lady’s convention speech, Donald Trump will deliver his address Thursday night from the White House’s South Lawn, where a stage was being constructed over the weekend. Federal rules prohibit the White House from being the setting for expressly political events, but when did Trump ever care about “rules?” NBC News reports that the trees that were removed will, thankfully, be replanted elsewhere.
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