US President Donald Trump signed his name on one of the granite blocks that form part of a multi-million dollar new helipad being built on the South Lawn of the White House.
"It's very exciting, very exciting, and I think it's going to be here for a long time," Trump told reporters during a tour of the project site, noting that the landing pad would bear the U.S. emblem.
But the project is raising increasing questions about who will bear the cost, and whether taxpayers may ultimately find themselves facing part of the bill.
Trump had announced in July the construction of the landing pad from the Oval Office, and said that Sikorsky, the manufacturer of the Marine One fleet of aircraft that transport the president, would pay for its construction.
Trump said at the time: "They are paying for the project. It's about $5 or $6 million, and they are paying the full cost."
Trump reiterated on Wednesday that Sikorsky was bearing the bulk of the cost, along with "donations from many people, including myself."
A spokesman for Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky's parent company, said in a statement last month that the company's contribution was made to the National Park Service.
He added that the company's work with the administration is conducted "in accordance with strict standards of ethics and compliance."
Trump said that the teams are working on the project almost around the clock to complete it as quickly as possible, starting work at 6 a.m. and continuing until midnight.
The helipad will be used for Marine One landings, as well as for receiving visiting foreign dignitaries. It will also serve as a venue for cocktail parties before events at the ballroom Trump is currently constructing. The president had previously stated that the helipad could also be used for press conferences.
Trump said his signature, along with those of the project officials, would be on the back of the eagle's head, which is part of the United States emblem, and would not be visible after the project's completion.
Trump said the new landing area is being built to allow Marine One's newer helicopters, which transport the president, to reach the White House.
He added: "This is a top-level helicopter landing pad. It can accommodate any helicopter in the world, regardless of its size or power."
