The company hired to renovate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has acknowledged that "human oversight" and flaws in the repair plan caused the newly installed blue liner to peel and tear, according to documents reviewed by the New York Times. This contradicts President Donald Trump's repeated claims that vandals were responsible for the damage.
The contractor's admission of responsibility for the Reflecting Pool's damage undermines the Trump administration's narrative of vandalism and highlights potential issues with rushed government contracts and project execution.
The company hired to renovate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has acknowledged that "human oversight" and flaws in the repair plan caused the newly installed blue liner to peel and tear, according to documents reviewed by the New York Times. This contradicts President Donald Trump's repeated claims that vandals were responsible for the damage.
Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the contractor, stated in reports that crews failed to spray enough primer in certain places to properly bond the liner's layers. The company also noted that the design specified two incompatible chemicals that, when used in separate layers, caused the material underneath to blister and separate due to heat.
Prosecutors began moving to dismiss vandalism cases against individuals, including former US Olympian David Hearn, after the Interior Department indicated the damage resulted from flawed installation and a rushed schedule to complete the project before July 4th celebrations. The White House referred questions to the Interior Department, whose spokesperson reiterated claims of "major vandalism" despite the contractor's admissions.
The $14.7 million no-bid contract was awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings for repainting and waterproofing the pool's concrete floor. The renovation approach had not been previously tested and was reportedly partly designed by the general manager of one of Trump's golf clubs. Atlantic Industrial Coatings has stated it would repair the pool again under warranty.