'Great grass': Trump plugs Scotts Miracle-Gro, a company that he says did the White House a favor
President Trump publicly endorsed Scotts Miracle-Gro after the company provided free landscaping services for the White House. Ethics experts have raised concerns regarding the potential conflict of interest and the precedent of trading government favors for corporate services.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing debates regarding presidential ethics, the blurring lines between public office and private business interests, and the influence of corporate donations on political administration.
Trump said Scotts Miracle-Gro does "great grass." Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Trump promoted Scotts Miracle-Gro from the Oval Office Monday, saying it does "great grass." He said he had to give the company a "plug" because it did the White House lawn for free. Trump's endorsement of private businesses has raised government ethics concerns. President Donald Trump promoted yet another product this week: "great grass" from the company he said replaced the White House lawn free of charge. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump praised Scotts Miracle-Gro, a public company based in Ohio that sells lawn and garden products. Trump said the company would soon be replacing the grass in 700 acres of parks around Washington, DC, with "the best grass you can get." "They do great grass. What can I tell you?
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in