Trump’s newest White House makeover? Adding black flooring to the famed walkway to the Oval Office
The White House is removing the beige pavers that have lined the famous West Colonnade for decades and replacing them with black granite, the latest aesthetic change at the hands of President Donald Trump.
For at least six decades, Tennessee Flagstone pavers have lined the West Colonnade, also known as the “45-second commute,” that connects the Oval Office and West Wing to the Executive Residence.
But now, those pavers are being replaced with black granite, a durable, heat-resistant natural stone.
“President Trump continues to implement long-overdue and necessary renovations to beautify the People’s House as we approach our great Nation’s 250th anniversary of independence,” White House Spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement.
“Thanks to the Builder-in-Chief, the White House will be properly glorified and remain in excellent condition for generations to come,” Ingle added.
The new granite will appear below the “Presidential Walk of Fame,” another Trump addition to the colonnade that features portraits of past presidents, other than former President Joe Biden, and opinionated biographies of each president.
The White House said the National Park Service would take possession of the current Tennessee Flagstone pavers and keep them in a nursery for safekeeping and future use.
It is unclear where the White House is sourcing the black granite. The Independent asked the White House for more information.
Preparation for the construction began Monday, the New York Post reported first. Photos of the West Colonnade, taken on Sunday, March 23, showed plastic construction coverings surrounding the area.
It’s unclear when construction is expected to end.
The black granite pavers are just the latest renovation project the Trump administration has undertaken since the president returned to the White House last year.
In addition to the “Presidential Walk of Fame,” Trump has also paved over a section of the Rose Garden to add a Mar-a-Lago-like patio, added signage to mark the Oval Office and Rose Garden, installed massive flagpoles on the property, renovated the Lincoln Bathroom, renovated the Palm Room and begun a new $400 million White House ballroom project, which involved tearing down the East Wing.
The president has implemented his personal touch on aspects of the White House, such as adding marble to the Lincoln Bathroom or gilded accents to the Oval Office.
Some of the updates, the president argues, are out of necessity – such as the new 90,000 square foot ballroom, which Trump says is needed because the White House does not have a big enough entertaining space for state dinners. Despite its supposed necessity, the massive structure has been highly scrutinized by critics and Democratic lawmakers.
