Trump’s $15-Million Reflecting Pool Renovation Sparks Algae Blooms, Peeling Paint, and Vandalism Claims

In April 2026 President Donald Trump announced a refurbishment of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool intended to be completed before the United States’ 250th anniversary on July 4. The project called for repainting the basin “American Flag Blue” (also described as “Old Glory Blue”) and installing a new liner. Initial estimates ranged from $1.5 million to $2 million, but federal spending rose to $14.2 million–$14.7 million for Atlantic Industrial Coatings (Virginia) and an additional $1.7 million for Green Water Solutions (Ohio) to upgrade filtration. Both contracts were awarded without competitive bidding.

The Guardian

Work concluded in early June, and the pool was refilled on June 9. Within days the water turned vivid green as an algae bloom developed, and large strips of the blue coating began to peel, leaving floating fragments. The National Park Service reported that nanobubble ozone technology was deployed to reduce the algae, while crews also applied hydrogen peroxide. The combined issues have extended the project beyond the original one-to-two-week timeline to over 60 days.

UsNews and World Report

President Trump asserted that “vandals” caused a 250-foot-plus gash in the liner and introduced “corrosive chemicals,” and he announced that six people had been arrested and seven cited for the damage. He pledged to drain the pool “either immediately before or after the Fourth of July” for permanent repairs. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro warned that “destruction of federal property can carry a maximum prison sentence of ten years” and promised full prosecution of anyone found guilty. The Interior Department confirmed the use of nanobubble technology but declined further comment.

The Guardian

The Cultural Landscape Foundation filed a lawsuit alleging that the blue paint constitutes an “aesthetic injury” that alters the pool’s historic character. Democratic lawmakers labeled the renovation “wasteful” and linked it to other costly projects such as the East-Wing ballroom. Attorney Norm Eisen, representing Olympic canoeist David Hearn, described the criminal-justice response as “textbook authoritarian behavior” intended to distract from the administration’s “corrupt no-bid contracting process.” Media commentators, including Bill Maher, have highlighted the contrast between the project’s promises and its outcomes.

NBC News

Among those detained were three-time Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who said he touched a detached paint piece out of curiosity, and DC resident Christian Miles, charged with a federal obscenity violation for confronting Oklahoma state troopers. Hearn’s attorney noted that no evidence links the individuals to intentional damage. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani observed that the cases are likely misdemeanors, not felonies, and questioned the severity of the threatened ten-year sentences.

NBC News

University of Maryland professor Patricia Glibert explained that shallow, warm water combined with nutrients and the darker paint surface accelerates algal growth, with biomass potentially doubling daily. Pool specialist Steve Goodale described the phenomenon as “new pond syndrome,” common when a natural water body is restarted after treatment.

USA Today

The DC Water Authority issued a temporary permit (June 16 – July 2) to discharge the pool’s water for a planned drain and repair cycle. Atlantic Industrial Coatings indicated that only a “very small part” of the seven-acre project requires rework, and the administration has scheduled additional contractor meetings to finalize the restoration.

USA Today