Internet Criticizes Melania Trump's White House's Rose Garden Renovation, Says 'Looks Like a Cemetery'

After former President Donald Trump took office in 2020, former First Lady Melania Trump stirred up national debate by completely remodeling the White House's renowned Rose Garden. As per Architectural Digest, the former garden planned by Jackie Kennedy was created in 1962 by philanthropist and garden designer Rachel "Bunny" Lambert Mellon as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy and was filled with vibrant tulips and crab apple trees. Both political figures and internet users strongly disapproved of Melania's newly created flower garden. The internet has once again circulated the before and after pictures of the rose garden makeover on X, criticizing the former First Lady for her "bland choice" as Trump prepares to serve a second term. 

@CheryleRPh2 criticized: "I’m still upset about what Melania did to the rose garden. We all need to vote blue to make sure the tRumps never set foot in the White House again." @GigiVoteBlue agreed: "Agree. She turned it into a cemetery. Lifeless. Like her." @UmpquaBadCDadded: "Melania had questionable taste in general. She demanded all white flower arrangements. Boring. Melania's garden re-do evokes a cemetery. She should have planted new crab apples." @robdelaney raged: "I am Sick. I’ve tried to keep my mouth shut & I’ll probably delete this, but Melania profaning the White House Rose Garden with her tasteless “redesign” is the final straw. I will no longer be voting Trump."

@ShThomas7 tweeted: "The Roses didn't deserve that.... All it would have taken was some love and care... -#TLC" @JessieA41124381 criticized Melania's taste: "She married tRump so we know she has no taste." @StompTheGOP wrote: "Flashback to when Melania Trump turned the White House rose garden into a courtyard for a funeral home. Totally on-brand, considering all the people her husband killed, and because the Trumps represent everything that is soulless, unfeeling, evil, and wrong." 

“This is just a sad quadrangle,” former NPR executive producer Kitty Eisele tweeted back then. NBC chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell retweeted a photo of the former rose garden and asked, “What happened to the trees?” 

The newly renovated all-white Melania's rose garden was completed by two distinguished American companies, Oehme, van Sweden and Associates and Perry Guillot Inc., with oversight from the 14-member Committee for the Preservation of the White House and the 3-member Committee for the Preservation of the White House Grounds, in addition to ten outside advisors.  

As per Breitbart, Melania created history by adding a sculpture by famed Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi to the rose garden during the same period. The Noguchi sculpture was chosen with special significance because it is the first Asian American artist's work to be included in the White House collection. At a Sotheby's auction in March, "Floor Frame" was purchased by the White House Historical Association for $125,000.

“Pleased to announce the arrival of Floor Frame, an art sculpture by Isamu Noguchi,” the former First Lady wrote in a statement. “Noguchi is the first Asian American artist to be represented in the White House collection. This sculpture not only showcases diversity within our Nation’s finest art but it also highlights the beautiful contributions of Asian American artists to the landscape of our country,” she stated.

The 2020 renovations included building a limestone path around the garden to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and planting rose bushes in white and pastel hues. The crabapple trees that had problems at their roots were also taken out by Melania, and then moved to another area of the White House grounds.