The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is being drained for a second time as President Donald Trump’s ambitious renovation of the iconic waterway extends well beyond his original Independence Day completion target.
The president had initially suggested his improvements to the historic pool would endure for a century. However, within weeks of the project’s completion last month, the water developed a significant algae bloom and portions of the newly applied coating began separating from the pool’s bottom.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose department oversees the National Park Service, stated in an interview released this week that the current draining was part of the planned maintenance schedule. He indicated that debris from the extensive July Fourth fireworks display over the National Mall may still be present in the water.
“Drain the water, clean up the fireworks stuff,” Burgum explained. “Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again.”
The Reflecting Pool renovation represents one element of several infrastructure projects the president has initiated throughout Washington. Most notably, the administration demolished the White House’s East Wing to construct a $400 million ballroom and has announced plans for a monumental arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
Trump announced his intentions to restore the Reflecting Pool this spring, setting a deadline before the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations. The pool was drained, and the president ordered the bottom painted what he termed “American flag blue.” In May, he declared on social media that the project was ahead of schedule for July Fourth completion.
Difficulties emerged shortly after the initial work concluded. The president attributed the problems to vandalism. Court documents subsequently revealed that the National Park Service reported to the U.S. Park Police a June 9 incident involving damage to the pool’s new liner, apparently caused by a sharp implement.
On Thursday, former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn entered a not guilty plea in District of Columbia Superior Court to charges of deliberately damaging the Reflecting Pool. Hearn maintains he merely reached into the pool to examine peeling sealant and released a piece when instructed to do so by a park worker. His legal counsel and critics of the administration have characterized the prosecution as an overreach and contend Hearn is being made a scapegoat for substandard repair work.
Court records indicate at least three additional individuals face misdemeanor charges for allegedly removing paint fragments from the Reflecting Pool. All three have entered not guilty pleas at their initial court appearances.
The setbacks have raised questions about the quality and durability of the renovation work, though the administration maintains that vandalism, rather than workmanship, is responsible for the coating failures. The timeline for completing the repairs and refilling the pool remains uncertain as crews work to address the multiple issues that have emerged since the project’s initial completion.
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