Earlier this year, President Donald Trump described the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as “absolutely filthy,” vowing to clean up the iconic landmark and make it “look gorgeous, beautiful” so it again reflects the federal monuments around it.
The $14 million renovation became a pet project for the president, symbolizing his efforts to beautify Washington, DC, with architectural changes that have also included building a White House ballroom and refurbishing run-down fountains in the nation’s capital ahead of the America 250 celebrations.
But with July 4 fast approaching, the pool that sits near the feet of Abraham Lincoln’s statue has instead come to reflect the deep divisions over those beautification efforts — and Trump’s presidency itself — after the renovation project has been set back by a persistent algae problem and the peeling of a blue material from the repainted bottom of the pool.
Trump on Friday echoed claims that have surfaced in right-wing circles that the pool’s problems are a result of vandalism, and linked it to the etching of “8647” into the grass on the National Mall days prior, adding that law enforcement is investigating.
“We’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, without citing evidence. “The algae is 75% gone, and the condition will soon be completely remedied, and the area that was vandalized, fortunately, is just a small area of damage, and will be fixed early next week.”
Tourists and local residents alike have flocked to the site in recent days, shooting videos of the murky green water for social media posts that feature either a condemnation of Trump’s presidency or a passionate defense of the effort to clean up DC. Some peeled off strips of the blue material to take as souvenirs. Others filmed federal workers pouring bottles of hydrogen peroxide into the water.
On Saturday morning, some visitors stopped by the landmark on their jog, as they bicycled or as part of their overall trip to the nation’s capital. Several of them took photos and videos of the pool, focusing in on the algae, while others loudly expressed their frustrations with the state of the pool as they passed by. On the algae at the bottom of the pool were a few tracings, including a smiley face. Meanwhile, federal employees worked on clean up efforts, vacuuming the algae with big hoses.
“You can’t make this up: after railing about waste, fraud, and abuse, the Trump Administration spent $14 million on a reflecting pool reno that’s now peeling and chock full of algae,” Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon said in a post on X. “I’m pressing to get answers for this embarrassing waste of resources.”
The Interior Department has dismissed the visible signs of algae that have only become more abundant as DC’s warm, muggy weather fosters its growth.
In a post on X Wednesday, the department’s press office touted its efforts to clear out the algae and described the water as being “crystal clear.”