Donald Trump and the Department of the Interior are under growing pressure to release photo and video evidence supporting claims of sabotage at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington. The $14.7 million renovation has been plagued by algae blooms, peeling paint, and dead ducks just days before the US's 250th anniversary celebrations.
Trump's allegations and lack of evidence
On Wednesday, Trump posted an image on Truth Social purportedly showing the pool before it was refilled, claiming it showed a hard rubber surface with no paint before vandals cut and pulled it apart. In a previous post, he alleged a “350-foot gash” was deliberately carved into the pool's lining, stating it was “purposefully and criminally done.” He promised the Interior Department would release photographs and video, but no evidence had materialized by Wednesday afternoon.
The New York Times reported obtaining government documents that gave no indication the peeling paint and algae blooms were caused intentionally, casting further doubt on Trump's claims.
Senator demands transparency
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and National Park Service acting director Jessica Bowron, requesting documents related to the project. He described the renovation as “marked by blatant corruption, a shocking lack of transparency, disregard for legal requirements, and apparent incompetence.” The senator stated, “The American people deserve to know how this occurred and what other issues plague the work NPS is currently undertaking in our nation’s capital.”
Renovation woes and environmental concerns
Trump had pledged to transform the century-old, 2,028-foot reflecting pool before the semiquincentennial festivities, draining it and coating the bottom in a color he called “American flag blue.” He declared the project complete on June 6, but a green algae bloom soon clouded the water, and pieces of coating peeled away. A dead duckling was found floating in the water on Sunday, and two more birds were recovered from a nearby pond.
Tara Zuardo, a senior campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity, called for an investigation under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, stating, “Wasting taxpayer money turning the reflecting pool into a giant duck death trap just in time for America’s 250th birthday party is as Trump as it gets. Cruel, stupid and selfish.”
Repair efforts and contractor details
Workers have been using hydrogen peroxide to combat algae, a chemical that can also act as a paint remover. The Interior Department said it is also using “high-tech nanobubble ozone technology” to cut off the algae's food supply. Experts noted that the dark lining likely exacerbated the problem by absorbing more sunlight and raising water temperature.
Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the Virginia-based company handling the renovation, said the affected areas were “a very small part of the massive seven-acre project” and did not indicate a failure of the liner. Trump awarded a no-bid contract to the company, which he said had previously worked on pools at one of his golf clubs.
Security measures and arrests
National guard members and park police have been patrolling the pool since the weekend, when Trump first blamed vandals. Fencing was erected around the site on Tuesday evening. Interior Department spokesperson Katie Martin said the fencing was always planned for before July 4 but was brought forward due to an “increase in vandalism by leftist activists,” a claim for which she offered no evidence.
Trump has threatened severe consequences for anyone harming the pool, writing, “Please remember that there is a 10-year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things – which will be fully enforced!” He claimed six people have been arrested; one confirmed arrest is former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn, 67, who said he was detained for five hours after reaching into the pool to examine the peeling coating.
Paul Strauss, the senior US shadow senator for the District of Columbia, commented, “This was a botched job from the beginning. This is what happens when instead of going through the proper government contracting process you get your buddies from down the street at Mar-a-Lago to do a job quickly.”
