Washington DC - A MAGA loyalist has pledged to donate his company's money to help clean the White House South Lawn after President Donald Trump's Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) birthday event, raising ethical concerns.
In a recent X post, the White House confirmed that ScottsMiracle-Gro is committing $1 million and a custom grass blend to help them restore the lawn, which was badly damaged after the event.
According to The Washington Post, the Ohio-based company said it will be donating "a combination of monetary and product support" to Trump and the National Parks Service, which would typically handle such work.
It's unclear if the company will also help fix damage done to the grass near the White House Ellipse.
ScottsMiracle-Gro is headed by CEO James Hagedorn, a longtime MAGA ally, and while the White House has praised his help for relieving taxpayers of the responsibility, critics have raised ethics concerns.
Jordan Libowitz, Vice President of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics watchdog group, argued that corporations generally do things for the government "because they want something" in return.
Libowitz pointed out that ScottsMiracle-Gro markets and distributes the herbicide Roundup. Despite it facing lawsuits over claims its active ingredient causes cancer, Trump signed an executive order in February designating the ingredient "crucial to the national security and defense" of the country.
Earlier this month, Senate Democrats called out Trump for giving "favorable" contracts to the company behind his infamous January 6 rally for his America 250 celebrations.