U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed guests on Monday (May 11) to what he called the "new and improved White House".

During the event, held during Police Week by the Rose Garden Club, Trump spoke of recent renovations to the Rose Garden he ordered including replacing grass with stone because visitors were "standing in mud."

Trump said he was joining the guests for dinner despite a busy schedule, saying: "I'll set aside the Iranians for the evening. I'll put the Iranians aside and we're going to have a little dinner."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MAY 11, 2026) (U.S. NETWORK POOL - No use USA)

1. U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, ARRIVING TO EVENT

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"Oh oh, thought it was a drone. They make them in all different sizes. Nowadays, they can be very destructive, as you probably heard."

3. ATTENDEES LISTENING TO TRUMP

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"But I want to welcome you to the Rose Garden. You know, there's a whole new thing. This used to be grass and took a little heat from my wife. She said, 'Darling, what did you do with my grass?' I said, 'People get tired of standing in mud.' You know the White House. You don't realize this. It's built on a wetland. So when it isn't, it didn't have to rain. The grass was always soaking wet. If you had a news conference, the reporters who are back there, I think, the reporters, they walk out with their shoes, the female reporters in particular, they weren't thrilled. But I said, we're going to get a gorgeous stone, which we did, and we're going to put this up here. I don't know if you got this just completed with the granite, the black granite."

5. INVITATION TO EVENT

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"So I just want to welcome you as great professionals as unbelievable people and patriots to the beautiful White House, the new and improved White House. And it's an honor to be with you. And I said a very busy tonight. I don't have time for dinner. And they said, oh, it's the Police where honoring 'oh, I'll have dinner', so I'm going to join you for dinner. Is that okay? I'll set aside I'll set aside the Iranians for the evening. I'll put the Iranians aside and we're going to have a little dinner. So I want to thank you all. You're really special and just amazing people. Thank you very much for being here. Thank you."

7. TRUMP STEPPING AWAY FROM PODIUM

8. ATTENDEES APPLAUDING