WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has mentioned grass in at least 45 public events or interviews over the past 18 months. The President has overseen physical changes to White House grounds, including paving parts of the Rose Garden and selecting custom turf blends for future planting.

The frequency of these remarks marks an increase from his first four-year term, during which he mentioned grass 26 times. The topic has appeared across a wide range of official functions, policy signings, and international engagements since returning to office in 2025.

During an interview with The Spectator five weeks after his second inauguration, Trump pointed out the Oval Office window to illustrate his perspective on the grounds. "You see the grass outside, right?" Trump asked before detailing his plans to pave over much of it. "Some people would like to leave it. But the problem is, you can’t."

The President cited practical difficulties associated with maintaining natural turf for high-traffic events and helicopter operations. "Problem with the grass, you couldn’t do anything with it," he said during an Oval Office tour. He described the damage caused by aircraft landings, noting that the impact goes beyond surface appearance.

"When you land on the grass, it’s not that the grass gets discolored — it gets ripped out," Trump said in a June statement. He also noted the effect on attendees' footwear during outdoor gatherings. "The women would be lifting up their shoes, saying, ‘You’ve destroyed my shoes,’" he said at a luncheon.

To address these issues, Trump covered the lawn near the White House’s Rose Garden with a stone patio. Crews have also been building a helicopter landing pad on the White House lawn.

In June, the President selected a custom turfgrass blend of four kinds of tall fescues and four Kentucky bluegrasses. There are plans to plant seeds from the selected grass blend next spring.

Trump has frequently linked his expertise in lawn care to his background as a businessman and golf course owner. "I know a lot about grass because I own a lot of golf courses," he said while announcing the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors last August. "And, if you don’t have good grass, you’re not in business very long."

He has made similar assertions in other settings. "I’m very good at grass," he said at an event announcing Department of Defense renaming. During a visit with park police, he offered a broader comparison of his knowledge relative to others. "I know more about grass than any human being, I think, anywhere in the world," he said.

The President has also personified the turf in his remarks. "Grass is like humans. It has a life," he said at a White House event.

At a dinner with Republican lawmakers, he outlined his strategy for improving the grounds. "We’re gonna re-grass them with the best guys in the country," he said.

Matt Koch is the lawns research fellow for Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. Koch described a lengthy conversation with the President regarding turf management. "An amazing dialogue, talking grass for half an hour," Koch said of the Oval Office discussion. "Going back and forth about grass."

Scotts Miracle-Gro donated $1 million in monetary and product support to the National Park Service to restore the South Lawn after the UFC fight. James Hagedorn is the CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro.

The physical changes to the White House grounds coincided with several high-profile events. A UFC octagon was erected on the South Lawn in June to mark President Trump's 80th birthday. President Trump hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers in July.

Trump has integrated references to grass into diverse policy and ceremonial contexts. He mentioned grass while pardoning turkeys last Thanksgiving. He also mentioned grass while addressing the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. The topic arose while signing a directive on quantum technology and during the signing of an executive order on TikTok.

Cultural celebrations at the White House also featured these remarks. President Trump mentioned grass during the 2025 White House celebration of Diwali. In May, he spent 10 minutes of a Cabinet meeting detailing efforts to fix fountains and give D.C.’s parks and monuments a facelift.

The President has set specific aesthetic goals for public spaces in the capital. President Trump pledged in August that parks in Washington will “look like Augusta” after his administration’s improvements. He also stated that Washington parks will look like Trump National Golf Club.

Why It Matters

The President's frequent integration of turf management discussions into diverse policy contexts, from quantum technology directives to international forums, marks a shift in how executive attention is allocated. Physical alterations to the White House grounds, including paved surfaces and custom grass blends, reflect a prioritization of functional durability for high-traffic events over traditional landscaping. This approach establishes a precedent where presidential expertise in private sector lawn care directly influences federal property maintenance strategies and public resource allocation.