PoliticsDonald Trump's Reflecting Pool Redo Turns Into a Washington Spectacle
Donald Trump defended the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation.
July 19 2026, Published 1:50 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump’s renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has become one of Washington’s strangest visual dramas.
The Reflecting Pool was drained July 13 after a renovation project that Trump once promised would restore the landmark in time for the nation’s 250th birthday celebration. Instead, the more than $16 million makeover has been followed by algae blooms, peeling coating, debris and a public fight over whether vandals or poor repair work are to blame.
Trump said on Truth Social that the pool had been emptied “in order to fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals two weeks ago.”
“The slashes were 300 yards long, and the floor of the pool was cut and then pulled upward, with great force, by these thugs,” Trump wrote.
A Blue Pool Turns Gray
The drained reflecting pool drew attention as it turned gray.
The renovation had included a new protective coating in a color Trump previously called “American flag blue.” But after the pool was drained, the bottom surface appeared closer to gray than blue when viewed from the Washington Monument, according to photos and videos.
Dried sediment, algae and debris were seen in the drained pool earlier in the week, but by Wednesday, much of the debris had been removed by work crews.
The project has already stretched beyond Trump’s original timeline. He initially suggested the repairs would cost just $1.5 million. Ohio-based Green Water Solutions received a $1.7 million contract for a water-purification system, while Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings was awarded $14.7 million to recoat and waterproof the pool’s concrete floor.
Donald Trump Blames Vandals
Donald Trump repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to the landmark.
Trump has repeatedly blamed vandalism for the damage, though his descriptions of the alleged gashes have shifted. He first described a 250-foot cut, later claimed there were “numerous slashes” over 350 feet and then said the damage was 300 yards long, or 900 feet.
A news crew from CNN visited the pool and did not capture any obvious signs of long gashes, though fencing prevented access to the full length of the landmark.
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Officials defended the renovation amid growing criticism.
The Associated Press also reported that no large slash marks were immediately visible from the Washington Monument view.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the government could “absolutely” prove vandalism caused the damage and said photographs supported the claim.
A Court Fight at the Landmark
Court cases continued over alleged damage to the project.
At least three people have been charged with destruction of property after allegedly removing pieces of blue paint from the pool, and all have pleaded not guilty. Former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn has also pleaded not guilty after being charged with deliberately damaging the pool.
Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine peeled sealant and let go of a chunk when instructed by a park worker. His attorneys and Trump administration critics have argued he is being used as a scapegoat for a troubled renovation.
