Donald Trump’s revamped reflecting pool is back under the microscope following the midterm, with the latest findings raising eyebrows. The newly observed flaws have put the administration’s repair job under fresh scrutiny. The pool’s finish has now become the center of attention.
Newly observed coating defects raise questions about the Lincoln Memorial project
Washington Post reporters found at least 20 uneven areas, where pale blue streaks broke up the promised “American flag blue.” They also spotted at least 10 places where the lining appeared to lift, plus bumps, repair marks and a gap exposing red tape.
The trouble spots appear concentrated along the pool’s southwestern side, near the Lincoln Memorial. Crews recently worked on the perimeter expansion joint there. Two people familiar with the matter spoke to the Post. They said the National Park Service flagged uneven coloring across repaired areas last week.
The White House, however, pushed back against the growing concerns. A spokesperson blamed the lighter patches on “surplus coating,” arguing that the discoloration would eventually “fade” or could simply be “scrubbed off.” The spokesperson also brushed aside photos showing apparent cracks and peeling, attributing them to leftover material or damage caused by “deranged vandalism.” The administration maintained that the pool remains “clear, clean, leak-proof.”
The renovation had already raised red flags before the latest discoloration surfaced. A 75-page inspection report obtained by the Post last month documented peeling, blisters, cracks, and buckling across the pool’s surface. Even more concerning, contractors were still applying the coating just 24 hours before workers refilled the basin on June 4, despite the material requiring 72 hours to cure.
Trump unveiled the makeover in April. He pitched a blue coating covering over 300,000 square feet to keep algae at bay. But the fresh finish quickly ran into trouble. Within days of the June refill, the water had turned green and blue fragments began floating to the surface. According to reporting highlighted by The Daily Beast, officials deployed hydrogen peroxide to address the algae, which resulted in the deaths of three ducklings.
The pool was repaired and refilled again in October after an inspection identified 88 additional instances of damage caused by Army Corps of Engineers testing. However, Trump continued to praise the renovation, calling the pool “a work of art” that would finally work.
