Trump's $14M Lincoln Memorial Pool Renovation Reveals Blue Water, Some Algae

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been revitalized through a $14 million renovation project, culminating in its surface being painted a distinct "American flag blue." Initially announced by then-President Donald Trump in April, the project aimed to address what he described as a "filthy dirty" and leaky structure.

Following the completion of the restoration, which involved scrubbing the pool's bottom and applying an industrial-grade topping, early visitors observed residual algae. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the Interior explained that this was a normal part of the startup process after the pool had been dormant for eight weeks during construction. The department stated that measures, including nanobubblers, are in place to maintain the pool and prevent future algae buildup.

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What you are seeing is residual algae from the supply lines, which have been sitting dormant for eight weeks while construction has been taking place

The project's significant cost has drawn attention, particularly in light of Trump's previous claims that former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama had spent "hundreds of millions of dollars" on similar repairs. While Obama did oversee a renovation, records indicate the final cost was substantially lower than Trump's estimates, and the Biden administration reportedly undertook no major work on the pool.

This renovation is part of a broader effort by Trump's administration to update several historic landmarks in Washington. A proposed plan to replace the pool's granite lining with stone elements was estimated to take three years and cost $300 million, though the current project focused on the pool's surface and water feature.

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We are removing the algae, and the nanobubblers will maintain the pool and keep it algae-free