Donald Trump addressed guests at a Rose Garden dinner for outdoor enthusiasts and industry executives, joking that as president he could ban fishing if he chose to. The comment was delivered in a light‑hearted tone, but he also noted that he had signed executive orders aimed at expanding hunting and fishing opportunities and reversing certain Biden‑era restrictions.
Among the attendees was Johnny Morris, the billionaire founder of Bass Pro Shops. Trump told the audience that his orders would help expand the fishing season and support businesses like Bass Pro Shops, adding, “That means you can sell a lot of fishing rods, Johnny. You’re going to sell a lot of rods. I could have made it so you couldn’t sell. I could have banned fishing.”
In addition to the fishing remarks, Trump spoke about White House renovations. He said the Rose Garden had been paved to create a Mar‑a‑Lago‑style patio and that the exterior had been in “very, very bad shape.” He then highlighted a new black‑and‑white granite helipad on the South Lawn, designed to resemble the presidential seal and constructed from six‑inch‑thick granite carved with an eagle.
Trump explained that Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, financed the helipad at a cost of about $5 to $6 million. He also noted that only one other president—late President Theodore Roosevelt—had been a better friend to America’s hunters and fishermen.
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