Trump's White House North Portico project nears completion with shroud and scaffolding taken down

Trump has said he noticed the 'deplorable condition' himself before insisting on repairs. The work is part of the president's sweeping overhaul of the White House and other federal property in the nation's capital — with most of his more ambitious moves drawing lawsuits and criticism from historic preservationists. Trump said last week that workers finished construction of a helipad on the South Lawn. His signature project, a White House ballroom and underground bunker, continues as legal fights play out. Multiple lawsuits were filed after Trump demolished the East Wing before going through the usual regulatory steps for major work on historic federal buildings in Washington. The massive project will add more square footage than what the existing White House footprint comprises. That means Trump must host Xi's state dinner, scheduled for Sept. 24, in existing spaces and in a construction zone — a circumstance that will afford the president a new opportunity to extol his ballroom project.