Amid escalating conflict in the Middle East and growing MAGA fallout on home turf, President Donald Trump on Wednesday celebrated a $100,000 “personal project” on the White House grounds. Accompanied by family members, aides and officials, the president oversaw the installation of two enormous flagpoles on the White House’s North and South lawns. Trump told reporters the two poles cost him about $50,000 each. It took five men to hoist a huge U.S. flag up the pole on the South Lawn. “These are the best poles anywhere in the country or in the world,” Trump told reporters. “It’s a very exciting project to me.” According to CNN, Trump spent nearly an hour inspecting and commenting on the installation. At one point, Trump interrupted a press conference during the installation to ask a group of construction workers if any of them were illegal immigrants. “Old Glory now waves proudly over the South Lawn of the White House,” the White House’s official X account posted with a video of the flag. “Thank you, @POTUS.” The project is part of a series of changes the president is making to the White House to give it a Trumpian makeover, including an overhaul of the Rose Garden and making the Oval Office way more gold.
