The Lincoln Memorial's reflecting pool has become a monument to mismanagement just weeks after a $14 million renovation, and President Trump is pinning blame anywhere but on the contractor hired to do the work.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Trump insisted vandals were responsible for the pool's current state: algae blooms turning the water green and peeling paint coating the surface. He pointed to five people arrested for vandalism and five others under investigation. But when asked to produce evidence, Trump deflected, telling journalists to contact the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service. Neither agency responded to inquiries.
Trump's account shifted as he spoke. He initially described a 290 to 300-foot slit made with a knife in the pool's paint coating, then revised the figure to 350 feet. He also alleged that someone dumped fertilizer into the water, triggering the algae growth.
The renovation was part of Trump's effort to repaint the pool what he termed "American flag blue" in time for the nation's 250th birthday. The color, officially named "Old Glory Blue," is a dark navy shade applied to the pool's bottom. Trump awarded the contract without competitive bidding to a company he said had worked on pools at his golf clubs.
The problems emerged almost immediately. Within days of the project's completion, green algae began blooming in the stagnant water, and the fresh paint started peeling away from the pool walls.
A DC Water Authority spokesperson confirmed that the agency issued the National Park Service a temporary permit to drain the pool into a sewer system connected to a local treatment facility. The permit was issued June 16 and expires July 2. No timeline has been announced for when the draining will occur.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's vandalism theory strains credibility when neither park police nor federal agencies can verify his claims, and the pattern of paint failure and algae blooms points squarely at the contractor's work."
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