People think they’ve worked out how Trump ‘bankrupted several casinos’ after seeing changes made to White House garden

People are really unhappy with the changes made to the White House Rose Garden, and it has sparked a lot of online chatter—especially from those who believe it reflects how Donald Trump handled some of his old business ventures, like his casinos.

Before Trump got into politics, he was a well-known businessman, especially in real estate. In the 1980s and early 1990s, he opened several big casinos in Atlantic City, including Trump Plaza, Trump’s Castle (which was later called Trump Marina), and the Trump Taj Mahal. At the time, these casinos were flashy and impressive, but behind the scenes, the finances didn’t hold up. Between 2004 and 2014, Trump Entertainment Resorts—the company that ran these casinos—had to file for bankruptcy three times. By 2016, most of the casinos were closed down, and many of the buildings were abandoned or sold off.

The Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, for example, stood empty for years before it was finally demolished in 2021. Locals in New Jersey even celebrated the demolition, calling it a major and symbolic moment for their city.

Fast forward to Trump’s return to the White House as the 47th President. One of the major projects he’s now taken on is revamping parts of the presidential residence. He’s reportedly planning to build a \$200 million ballroom in the East Wing. But one redesign that has drawn the most attention is his overhaul of the historic Rose Garden, which sits right near the Oval Office and West Wing.

The Rose Garden has a long history. It was originally laid out in 1902 during President Theodore Roosevelt’s time, and named the Rose Garden a decade later by First Lady Ellen Wilson. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered a redesign, and in 1961, President John F. Kennedy made more improvements, creating a more structured lawn with French-style flower beds. That classic design remained mostly unchanged for decades.

But when the Trumps moved into the White House in 2020, First Lady Melania Trump started a renovation of the garden. She added new limestone walkways and made other cosmetic changes. Many people didn’t like the new look. Critics said it felt too cold, plain, and lifeless. Some even accused her of stripping away the beauty and historical richness of the original garden.

Things got even more controversial when Donald Trump himself decided to make even more changes recently. Instead of keeping the green lawn, he reportedly ordered it to be removed entirely and replaced it with a concrete patio. The result, revealed on August 1, left many people shocked and disappointed. What used to be a lush, green, and peaceful space now looks grey, hard, and lifeless.

One person on Twitter said, “Trump turned Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden into a parking lot. Sad day for history and nature.” Others said it looked like a tombstone marking the death of the U.S. economy or a metaphor for how Trump has handled things—turning life into concrete. Someone else joked that seeing this garden makeover helped them understand how Trump could have bankrupted multiple casinos.

Even the late comedian Robin Williams once joked in 2012 that Trump played Monopoly with real buildings—and that he was a “scary man.” He painted a surreal image of Atlantic City filled with abandoned dreams and strange characters, making it sound more like a twisted fairy tale than a thriving tourist spot.

Despite all the backlash, the White House insists the redesign was done respectfully, with consideration for both the building’s history and the tradition of the Rose Garden.

Still, for many people watching from the outside, the transformation of this beloved garden feels like another example of Trump’s controversial legacy—one where beauty, nature, and tradition are bulldozed in the name of flashy makeovers that don’t always make sense.