According to sources who spoke with the Washington Post, the president wasn’t satisfied with how the massive granite landing pad was coming together. His specific concern: the natural slope of the South Lawn meant the helipad wouldn’t sit perfectly level with the horizon. That prompted him to have workers tear out what had already been built while officials weigh whether the lawn itself needs to be reshaped.

Construction began back in June, with the original goal of finishing before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit in September. The Post obtained photos showing crews removing the massive granite presidential seal that had already been installed — reportedly about 100 feet across.

Trump told reporters last month that Sikorsky Aircraft, the Lockheed Martin subsidiary that builds Marine One, is footing the bill, which he estimated at somewhere between $5 million and $6 million.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle defended the project, telling the Post that a proper helipad has been needed for years — both to let the president land safely and to spare the South Lawn’s grass from the exhaust of Marine One’s landings. He credited Trump with continually improving the grounds.

As for the safety question: federal guidance generally calls for helipads to be level, though a slight grade for water drainage is typically fine. The South Lawn, long used as a landing spot for the presidential helicopter, reportedly has slopes reaching up to 20 degrees in places — which may explain the president’s concerns.