politics
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Work Finishes Over Budget at $16 Million as Algae and Peeling Appear
President Trump announced the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool refurbishment in April 2026 at an estimated cost of $1.5 million to $2 million. Federal contracts show payments exceeding $16 million, and the pool developed algae blooms and peeling paint within days of refilling in June.
Jun 25, 7:05 PM·1m read1 source
Usa TodayAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
He said he had asked a contractor to select "American flag blue" for the bottom and estimated the work would cost $1.5 million and last 30 to 50 years. The next day he posted on Truth Social that the cost would be $2 million and the job would finish in one week.
USA TODAY analysis of federal contract data shows Atlantic Industrial Coatings had already received a contract for nearly $6.9 million on April 3, 2026, and Green Water Solutions had been awarded a no-bid contract for more than $1.7 million.
Additional payments to Atlantic Industrial Coatings included $6,218,381 on May 8, $1,086,576 on June 3, and $461,044 on June 15, bringing the total above $16 million. Trump announced the project complete on June 6. The pool, which holds 6.75 million gallons, was refilled during the week of June 8.
Within days algae blooms turned the water green, and pieces of the new blue paint began peeling from the bottom. The National Park Service began adding hydrogen peroxide to control the algae. " On June 9 the U.S.
Park Police responded to a National Park Service report of a cut in the caulk over the pool’s foam sealant made with a sharp knife or razor, along with destruction of delaminating surface material. ” The statements came in response to a lawsuit filed in May by the Cultural Landscape Foundation.
