President Donald Trump announced today he will personally fund the installation of two nearly 100-foot-tall American flags at the White House, declaring that the presidential residence has “needed flagpoles for 200 years.”
The President was spotted Wednesday morning with White House groundskeepers surveying the north side of the grounds, gesturing to demonstrate where the massive flagpoles would stand.
“We’re putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side and another one on the other side, two flags, top of the line,” Trump told reporters outside the White House, per the New York Post.
The two flags, to be positioned on the North and the South Lawns respectively, will significantly alter the White House’s exterior appearance, making the American flag more prominently visible from multiple vantage points around the presidential residence.
Currently, there is no freestanding flagpole on the White House property, with the only American flag flying from the top of the building itself.
“They needed flagpoles for 200 years. It was something I’ve often said, you know, they don’t have a flagpole per se,” Trump explained to reporters. “So we’re putting one right where you saw us, and we’re putting another one on the other side, on top of the mounds. It’s going to be two beautiful poles.”
President Trump: “We’re putting up a beautiful, almost 100 foot tall, American flag…they’ve needed flag poles for 200 years.” pic.twitter.com/AxTJul7Z2K
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 23, 2025
Trump emphasized that the new additions would be “paid for by Trump,” noting the flags are scheduled to arrive next week.
The patriotic addition is part of several changes Trump has made since returning to office, the Post reports, including transforming the Oval Office with more portraits of past presidents and gold-accented decorations reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
He has also announced plans to rebuild the Rose Garden with an artificial platform instead of grass to make it more practical for hosting events without dealing with soggy ground.
Trump previously proposed building a $100 million ballroom at the White House during the Biden administration, but apparently “never heard back.”
The President stated his intention to carry out the proposal himself to create more room for ceremonies without requiring massive, bulky tents.
The President recently participated in planting a replacement for the historic Jackson Magnolia on the South Lawn, using a golden shovel to plant a 12-year-old sapling that is reportedly a descendant of the original tree, which was nearly 200 years old and had been deemed a safety hazard.
Previous presidents have similarly made changes to the executive residence, from Jackie Kennedy’s historic restoration efforts to the Obama family’s addition of a vegetable garden.
