Trump-Ordered Renovation of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Encounters Early Setbacks

President Donald Trump’s $14 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was completed in June 2026. The project painted the basin “American Flag blue,” added an “ozone nanobubbler” filtration system, and refilled the 300,000-sq-ft pool with 6.5 million gal of water. Within a week a flap of blue material detached and algae turned sections green. The pool reopened June 6, algae were noted June 12, a July 4 rally was announced June 15, hydrogen peroxide was applied June 16, and on June 17 the department claimed the nanobubbler “very effectively killed the algae.” Video on June 18 showed peeling material and persistent green water.

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Contract cost $14.2–$14.7 million, up from $1.8 million; a 16 million-gal leak and 80 duck deaths occurred in the 2012 $34 million algae episode.

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The Interior Department said the nanobubbler “has successfully destroyed the algae bloom” and called hydrogen peroxide a “milder treatment with no harmful side effects.” Kate Martin later called the growth “residual algae from supply lines” and said nanobubblers will keep the pool algae-free. A Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson declined comment; the White House offered no comment.

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Preservationists and Aquatic-council chair Tim Auerhahn warn the dark blue coating and adhesion failures may harm the pool’s historic integrity. Barrett Brooks, an algae specialist at the Museum of Natural History, said killing algae may feed a new bloom. CNN and People reporters saw chunks of the blue material rise while crews in hip-waders vacuumed algae. One visitor, Danielle Khan, observed, “I know a lot of money went into this, but I can clearly see algae growing.”

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• “There’s several things that we’ve got to address when we come back for maintenance, and anything like that will be addressed, if it’s a problem,” — Eddie Wood, President, Atlantic Industrial Coatings

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• “A coating system can fail for several reasons, including substrate preparation, surface contamination, application conditions, adhesion issues, product selection, mechanical damage, environmental exposure, or a combination of factors,” — Tim Auerhahn, Chairman, Aquatic Council

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• “The advanced nanobubbler technology very effectively killed the algae that has plagued every Lincoln Reflecting Pool reopening—most infamously Obama's reopening—since 1922,” — Interior Department, X post

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Trump plans a July 4 rally and fireworks around the pool. The Interior Department says nanobubbler operation and periodic hydrogen peroxide will continue through summer, but experts warn maintenance will be needed.

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