Trump Turns Stone Sleuth After Damage Spotted in Rose Garden Renovation

Former President Donald Trump’s well-known fondness for fine surfaces—especially marble and stone—has apparently led him into a new role: detective-in-chief. In a post on Truth Social on August 30, Trump claimed to have personally uncovered the culprit behind what he described as a “huge gash” in the newly installed limestone surface of the White House Rose Garden. “Three days ago, while admiring the stonework, I happened to notice a huge gash in the limestone that extended more than 25 yards long. It was deep and nasty!” Trump wrote. “I started yelling, ‘Who did this? I want to find out now!’—and I didn’t say this in a nice manner.” He went on to question whether the damage was caused by vandalism or “stupidity.” Thanks to what Trump called “the finest security equipment anywhere,” the mystery didn’t last long. According to Trump, security footage revealed that a subcontractor—supervised by a boss wearing sunglasses—had been using a broken steel cart that tilted to one side and scraped the soft limestone as it rolled, leaving a long gouge in its path. The Rose Garden has been under renovation throughout the summer, part of Trump’s larger push to revamp key areas of the White House. The redesign, which replaced the sod with white stone, was reportedly inspired by Trump watching women's heels sink into the muddy lawn during events. So far, the White House has not commented on when the damaged stone will be repaired. The Rose Garden renovation is just one of several changes Trump has been spearheading, including a gold-accented makeover of the Oval Office and ambitious plans to build a massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom in the East Wing. As for the timeline of his stone investigation, some are speculating that this mystery might explain why Trump was largely out of public view between Tuesday—when he held a three-hour Cabinet meeting—and Saturday, when he finally resurfaced for a round of golf.

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