Trump Nominates Interior Inspector General Amid Reflecting Pool Renovation Fallout

President Donald Trump personally oversaw a renovation of the 103-year-old Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, promising a “American Flag Blue” resurfacing for the nation’s July 4, 250th-anniversary celebrations. The project’s budget ballooned from an initial estimate of $2 million to roughly $16 million, with contracts awarded on a no-bid basis and without the required permissions. When the pool was refilled in mid-June, the new liner detached and floated to the surface while algae turned the water a sickly green. Contractors deployed a $1.7 million ozone nanobubbler that had never been tested in standing water, but the technology failed to control the growth. Four individuals—including a former U.S. Olympian and a British-American veterinarian—were arrested on accusations of removing material from the water; the charges were dismissed in early August after U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro acknowledged that poor workmanship, not sabotage, caused the problems.

The Independent

Amid the controversy, the White House nominated Dennis Kirk to lead the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General, the body tasked with probing the Reflecting Pool debacle. Kirk co-authored the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 manifesto, which calls for expanding executive power and removing “uncooperative” civil servants. He previously served at the Office of Personnel Management during Trump’s first term and later advised former national-security director Tulsi Gabbard while working in the intelligence community’s inspector-general office. Critics note that his dual-role history raises conflict-of-interest concerns.

The IndependentNew York Times

California Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman, ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, called Kirk a “fake and fraudulent watchdog” and warned that the nomination serves Trump’s interests.

The Independent

• “It’s no surprise the White House suddenly wants its own man inside the one place that Trump's cronies still have reason to fear.” — Mark Greenblatt

The Independent