Story perspectives

Trump-linked Firm Wins $6.9 M Lincoln Pool Paint Deal

5/10/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The administration awarded a $6.9 million contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which previously worked for President Donald Trump, using a federal exemption to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Trump drove his SUV across the painted surface during an unannounced visit.
Environmental watchdog Tim Whitehouse said the deal rewards the president’s friends, lacks scrutiny, and does not solve the pool’s leaks, as noted by Aquatic Council chair Tim Auerhahn.

History

Historical Context

In 1972, the United States enacted the Clean Water Act, establishing federal authority to regulate pollutant discharges into waterways. The newly formed EPA, created in 1970, allocated $1.2 billion that year to remediate polluted urban lakes, including Chicago’s River. Today, the 2024 administration awarded Atlantic Industrial Coatings a $6.9 million contract, using a federal exemption to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, echoing past bypasses of EPA review. Such repeated exemptions threaten the Clean Water Act’s legacy, prompting legislators to consider stricter oversight of procurement and environmental compliance.

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Story summary

The administration awarded a $6.9 million contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which previously worked for President Donald Trump, using a federal exemption to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Trump drove his SUV across the painted surface during an unannounced visit.
Environmental watchdog Tim Whitehouse said the deal rewards the president’s friends, lacks scrutiny, and does not solve the pool’s leaks, as noted by Aquatic Council chair Tim Auerhahn.

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