Paint on Washington’s newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was peeling from the bottom and floating into algae-tinted water on Thursday, less than two weeks after President Donald Trump announced the project was complete.
Renovated Pool Shows Peeling Paint And Algae
Reuters reported that workers had drained and refinished the historic pool under a $14.7 million no-bid contract this year. The work forms part of Trump’s broader plan to remake the nation’s capital, including tearing down the White House’s East Wing to build a ballroom and constructing a large arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
Trump announced on June 6 that crews had finished the pool project. By Tuesday, workers were pouring hydrogen peroxide into the water to fight an algae bloom that turned the pool green instead of the dark blue Trump had showcased.
Benzinga reached out to the U.S. National Park Service, which operates the National Mall, but did not immediately receive a response.
Visitor Complaints Add To Capital Planning Fight
Some visitors said the result fell flat. “I want my money back after seeing this. I think our resources could be used a lot better elsewhere,” Robert Dale of Edwards, Colorado, told Reuters. “I think this reflecting pool was beautiful before, before all this attention.”
Trump has faced criticism for moving quickly past planning processes designed to protect Washington’s historic appearance. His administration has dismissed the criticism as partisan sniping and praised the former real estate developer’s design instincts.
The pool project has already drawn political fire. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) criticized Trump for “showing off his pool” while gasoline, food and health care costs rose. Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) also accused Trump of focusing on symbolic projects while drivers faced high fuel prices.
No Bid Contract Faces Fresh Political Scrutiny
The renovation also drew scrutiny over its no-bid contract. The project, first mentioned by Trump in April, went to Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings and was meant to finish before the nation’s 250th birthday in July. Trump later said he did not know the contractor, distancing himself after earlier comments suggested he had spoken with someone familiar about the job.
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