Trump says Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool repairs to resume after July 4, as algae and vandalism mar reopening
President Donald Trump said June 26 that work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will resume after Independence Day, following a tumultuous reopening marred by algae overgrowth, peeling paint, and allegations of vandalism.
The pool, situated between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, underwent a $16 million overhaul ordered by Trump. Work began in April, and the basin was reopened the week of June 8. The makeover included painting the bottom a deep navy shade the president personally selected: “American flag blue.”
At the time Trump announced the project in April, he described the pool as “filthy” and “leaking like a sieve.” The renovation was part of a broader effort to prepare the National Mall for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
But within days of reopening, the pool became overrun with aggressive algae that turned the water a murky green, and patches of the freshly applied blue paint began peeling and floating to the surface. National Park Service crews were dispatched to treat the water with hydrogen peroxide and use nanobubbler technology and vacuuming to clear the bloom. Despite these efforts, algae has remained a persistent problem—a recurring issue for the more than 100-year-old landmark, which was built between 1920 and 1923.
Trump has blamed the algae and paint damage on deliberate sabotage. Speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s “Road to Majority” event on June 26, he said vandals “ripped a scar 350 feet long through the side of the reflecting pool.” He added, “These people are sick. We’ll fix it right after the 4th of July. Kinda let the water out, just fix it.”
The president had previously claimed, on June 22, that someone “had put fertilizer in the water to create algae” and that vandals “very violently” cut a “350-foot slit from one end to the other” in the pool, causing paint to separate from the basin.
Court documents filed in response to a May lawsuit by the Cultural Landscape Foundation—which sought to halt the project—corroborated some of those claims. Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the National Park Service, said in a June 24 filing that on June 9, after the rehabilitation was substantially complete, U.S. Park Police responded to reports of damage, including “a cut in the caulk over the Reflecting Pool's foam sealant that was cut with a sharp knife or razor” and destruction of delaminating surface material. Approximately 70 fence post tops were also thrown into the pool, according to Lands.
Trump stated in a Truth Social post on June 23 that six people had been arrested and seven others cited for the damage.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time, as the pool was expected to be a centerpiece for July 4 festivities marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The National Park Service has not confirmed whether the algae will be fully cleared before the holiday, though Trump’s announcement suggests major repairs will wait until after the celebrations.
The episode has also reignited debates over the management of historic landmarks on the National Mall. While the NPS typically uses algae-prevention measures, summer heat and shallow water make the pool particularly vulnerable to blooms.