Donald Trump recenty misnamed a project he has repeatedly discussed. The mix-up happened while he was outlining renovation plans during a television interview. The moment quickly became part of a broader conversation about the ongoing work at one of Washington’s most recognizable sites. Trump also used the appearance to defend the project and criticize how it had been handled in previous years.
Donald Trump mistakes the name of his own project
During an interview with Lara Trump on Fox News, President Donald Trump spoke about efforts to restore the water feature located between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. While discussing the project, he repeatedly referred to it as the “reflecting pond.” The landmark’s actual name is the Reflecting Pool, and Lara Trump did not correct the mistake during the conversation.
Trump argued that the site had fallen into poor condition and claimed that earlier administrations had spent large sums of money without solving the problems. He described his own approach as faster and less expensive, saying, “I’m gonna spend a tiny fraction of that money, and it should open in about a week (via The Daily Beast).”
The president also repeated several familiar talking points about the renovation. He said the work was originally expected to take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but insisted his administration would complete it much more quickly. Lara Trump added that local residents had complained about algae and trash in the pool.
Trump agreed with that assessment and called the condition of the site “disgusting.” He also repeated a claim he often makes about the Reflecting Pool, saying that if it were stood upright, it would be “taller than any building in the world.”
However, details surrounding the project seem to be more complicated than Trump’s description suggested. The Obama administration reportedly spent more than $34 million on repairs, including installing a filtration system, reducing the pool’s depth, and addressing structural issues caused by sinking ground. The Biden administration did not launch a major renovation project, though routine maintenance and algae removal continued.
