Donald Trump’s latest makeover of the White House Rose Garden has stirred up plenty of opinions, and now Katie Miller, the wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, is jumping in to defend it.
Miller joined Tomi Lahren’s podcast this week and pushed back at critics who say the revamped garden looks more like Mar-a-Lago than a historic White House landmark. Over the weekend, Trump unveiled the redesigned space with a dinner for Republican allies. The new plaza, stripped of much of its greenery and lawn, was quickly mocked online as lacking character or charm.
But Miller, 33, called it “beautification” and praised Trump for personally paying for the work. “When President Trump pays out of his own pocket to beautify the White House and make it so Republicans, especially those in Congress, as we saw Friday night, can have the chance to come together after hours… they need to have those moments,” she said.
She added that gatherings in the updated space could help lawmakers find “common ground,” saying, “Often that comes over meals and social gatherings in D.C. And that I consider work.”
Not everyone was impressed. California Governor Gavin Newsom reposted photos of the dinner on X and jabbed at Trump’s priorities. “Our economy is in a downward spiral, but don’t worry — the @GOP are spending their time cheersing Diet Cokes at a new, exclusive ‘club,’” Newsom wrote.
Miller dismissed Newsom’s criticism, calling it hypocritical. “It’s incredibly hypocritical when you have Gavin Newsom stand up and complain about that, but not about portions of the Democrat party,” she said. She argued that the governor was more focused on “dunking on President Trump” than on helping families. “To me, that’s what makes politics so disgusting to the American people. You just want to see every one get along and work for the benefit of you and your family. Safe streets, safe communities. That’s not what Gavin Newsom is doing.”
Lahren agreed with Miller, taking the criticism a step further. “It really feels like Democrats want this country to look like a third-world nation,” she said. “Whether it be crime or infrastructure or just the overall beautification… it’s like, ‘No, leave it ugly.’”
Trump himself brushed off the backlash during Friday’s dinner. He explained that the decision to remove the lawn was partly practical. “The grass in the former garden was not usable. Every time we’d have a press conference, women in particular were sinking deep into the mud and at some point I said, ‘You know it’s time to make the change,’” he told his guests. He previously said the updates would make it easier for “women, with the high heels,” to navigate the area.
The Rose Garden has long been tied to presidential history, but Trump’s vision has sparked a sharp divide. To his allies, it’s a smart upgrade and a space for Republicans to gather. To critics, it’s another example of Trump favoring flash over tradition.