The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation has turned into a public relations disaster for the Trump administration. What was promoted as a swift, inexpensive facelift has ballooned in cost and is now visibly deteriorating as tourists watch.
The project began as a response to algae that had turned the pool green. Trump criticized the water as "filthy" and "dirty" earlier this year, pledging to restore it to pristine condition at minimal cost. The initial estimate was under $2 million. The actual bill has reached $14.6 million, according to federal spending records.
The painted blue surface, styled as "American flag blue," started peeling this week. NBC News documented strips of blue paint lifting away from the pool's western edge, with chunks detaching and floating beneath the surface while exposing the darker unpainted layer underneath. The deterioration is happening in plain view of summer tourists flooding Washington's most iconic monuments.
Algae continues to line the pool's edges despite intensive treatment efforts. The administration deployed hydrogen peroxide to combat the problem after the green water persisted, but the solution has not solved the underlying maintenance challenge.
The Interior Department initially touted success using what it described as "advanced nanobubbler technology" to kill algae, posting on social media Wednesday that "the Reflecting Pool water is crystal clear." The same statement took a swipe at the Obama administration's cleanup efforts, comparing the situation to military remains at sea. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum had posted a time-lapse video showing the blue paint application just days earlier.
The department did not respond to requests for comment on the paint deterioration. The reflecting pool has historically been difficult to maintain, but Trump's high-profile promises to transform it combined with the surging costs and visible damage have drawn sharp attention. The renovation was intended as part of preparations for America's 250th anniversary celebrations.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The reflecting pool promised to be a quick win turned into exactly the kind of high-cost, visible failure that becomes hard to spin away."
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