Key facts
- Donald Trump's administration completed a $14.2 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- The project involved sealing and painting the pool's bottom an "American flag blue."
- The renovation aimed to improve the pool's appearance and function.
- Early reviews of the renovation have been mixed.
- Trump claimed the pool never functioned properly before the renovation.
Donald Trump's administration has completed a $14.2 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. The project, which Trump announced in April, involved sealing and repainting the pool's bottom an "American flag blue" to enhance the reflection of the Washington Monument. Trump stated the pool, originally opened in 1922, never functioned properly and that its "filthy" water was "not representative of the country."
Satellite imagery from March 10, 2026, showed the pool with green water due to algae, while an image from June 7, a day after the project's completion, revealed a darker surface. Photos from June 9 showed the reflection of the Washington Monument visible on the water.
Trump celebrated the renovation on Truth Social, claiming the pool now functions correctly and announcing plans for future projects like "The Trump Promenade at The Lincoln Memorial" and "The Triumphal Arch." However, early reviews of the pool's new appearance have been mixed, with some visitors expressing underwhelm regarding the blue color and the presence of algae.