Rather than planting additional flowers, President Donald Trump has filled the White House Rose Garden with sculptures. Sculptures depicting key American founding figures now sit in the space adjoining the Oval Office. This follows Trump's decision to substitute the traditional grass lawn with a paved white stone terrace, creating an aesthetic reminiscent of his private Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
One featured artwork was donated outright, while several others were provided on temporary loan by undisclosed contributors. The most recent installation is a bronze sculpture of a seated Thomas Jefferson drafting the Declaration of Independence, crafted and presented by Colorado-based sculptor George Lundeen. The piece stands alongside depictions of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Ben Franklin, along with a fifth work entitled "Freedom’s Charge." These installations are part of an extensive program of White House alterations overseen by Trump, including a gilded redesign of the Oval Office and a new ballroom and landing pad being constructed on the southern lawn.
The Republican president's alterations reflect his desire to reshape the capital's architectural landscape, which also includes plans for a monument park on federal grounds near the National Mall. Lundeen originally produced the artwork representing Jefferson, the third U.S. president, several decades prior, retaining it at his property before deciding to refurbish it and send it to Trump for display at the executive mansion ahead of the Independence Day festivities marking the country's semiquincentennial. His associate, Steven Barber, initiated communication with administration officials on Lundeen's behalf.
"I thought it would just be a real nice thing on the 250th for people to look at Thomas Jefferson as he was writing the Declaration of Independence," Lundeen said in a telephone interview. Deliveries were delayed, however, so the piece failed to arrive before the holiday. According to Barber, transport vehicles faced holds amid strict event security protocols.
After reviewing photographs of the work, Trump was sufficiently impressed to select a location for it within the Rose Garden. Direct contact was missed when the president placed an appreciative telephone call that went straight to Lundeen's answering system. Following the holiday period, an office administrator urged Lundeen to review a specific recording.
It's your favorite president, Donald Trump, and I just wanted to thank you," the president said on the recording, which Lundeen shared with The . "The sculpture, it looks really beautiful ... just by the picture I can see it's really incredible, and we have a wonderful place right in the Rose Garden, and I appreciate it." Barber said in a separate telephone interview that early attempts to engage White House staff had yielded minimal traction over several months. That changed rapidly roughly three weeks prior to July 4, when officials sent a "flurry of emails saying they wanted it." Limited background information has been made available regarding the remaining sculptures situated in the patio area.
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