President Donald Trump knows grass.
In fact, he would like Americans to know that he knows quite a lot about it.
“I’m very good at grass because I have a lot of golf courses all over the world,” Trump said Wednesday during an appearance at the White House, once again returning to one of his more persistent areas of self-proclaimed expertise.
Trump was discussing changes he has made to the White House grounds, including replacing portions of the Rose Garden lawn with a stone patio, when the conversation turned to turf.
“I know grass,” Trump said. “I know grass better than most people.”
It wasn’t the first time.
During a visit with U.S. Park Police officers in Washington last August, Trump offered an even more expansive assessment of his landscaping credentials.
“I know more about grass than any human being,” Trump said, explaining that his experience operating golf courses had given him extensive knowledge of different varieties of turf.
The president then turned his attention to Washington’s federal parks, complaining about patches of dead grass and offering advice about how they should be maintained.
Grass has become a recurring feature of Trump’s effort to remake parts of Washington and the White House grounds according to his preferred aesthetic.
Since returning to office, Trump has taken a hands-on interest in landscaping around the White House, including the controversial decision to pave over the Rose Garden lawn. He has also criticized the condition of parks around Washington and pushed federal officials to improve their appearance.
Trump’s interest isn’t limited to grass.
The president has weighed in on paving stones, marble, flagpoles and other aesthetic details around the White House as he reshapes the presidential grounds. He is also pursuing construction of a massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom complex despite a federal appeals court ruling blocking most aboveground work without congressional approval.
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But when it comes to landscaping, Trump maintains that his experience gives him particular authority.
Golf courses, after all, require quite a bit of grass.
“I’ve had tremendous experience,” Trump said of the subject last year.
For anyone keeping score, that leaves Trump’s publicly stated resume including businessman, president, golf-course owner — and, apparently, one of the world’s foremost grass experts.
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