Trump gives sneak peek of new Reflecting Pool offering stunning views of Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument as he hails ‘very exciting project’
President Donald Trump unveiled dramatic new images of the revamped Reflecting Pool that runs between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, boasting about how the iconic landmark has been transformed into a glittering centerpiece ahead of America’s 250th birthday celebrations.
Posting a pair of stunning sunset photos at Truth Social on Saturday night, Trump hailed the restoration as “a very exciting project” and promised the expanded water feature would be ready before the Fourth of July.
The images showed the partially refilled Reflecting Pool sparkling glassy under the dramatic evening sky, with near-perfect mirror reflections of both the Lincoln Memorial and the towering Washington Monument captured in the water.
“Sample test of the Reflecting Pool with the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument in the background – at each end of the Pool – the longest in the world, by the way,” Trump wrote.
‘You look really good!’
The president said the project has gone far beyond its original scope as he strives for what he calls a more beautiful and longer-lasting redesign.
“It should be completed before our target date of July 4th,” Trump wrote.
‘Surface qualities, sandblasted granite and construction materials including external stone and walkways have been significantly improved.
In one photo, the Washington Monument was perfectly reflected in the water beneath dramatic clouds at sunset.
Another photo shows the Lincoln Memorial reflected in a newly resurfaced pool against a glowing evening sky.
Trump had previously posted side-by-side images comparing the Reflecting Pool under his administration and former president Barack Obama, whom he referred to as ‘Hussein Obama’, and mocking the previous renovation costs of the Obama era.
‘I’ve turned this into a much bigger business and a much longer life than originally thought for Beauty purposes,’ she added.
Trump also revealed that crews switched to a “higher quality sealer with greater reflectivity” in an effort to intensify the mirror-like effect seen in the newly released photos.
‘Take a look before it opens – Very exciting project!’ he declared.
The striking renovation of one of America’s most recognizable landmarks has become one of the most notable beautification efforts of Trump’s second term, and the president has personally defended the overhaul.
The Reflecting Pool, lined with elm trees along the National Mall, has a sacred place in American history.
It famously served as the backdrop for Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech at the 1963 March on Washington, and remains one of the most visited sites in the nation’s capital.
But Trump has repeatedly argued that the basin has fallen into a shameful state of disrepair.
Speaking about the project before, the president complained that the pool was ‘polluted’ and claimed that it ‘leaked like a sieve for years’.
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The US Capitol Dome and Washington Monument are visible as workers apply a coat of paint to the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall
Trump orders a renovation to replace the drained pool’s gray concrete bottom with a blue primer to change it to ‘American Flag Blue’
Workers paint the Reflecting Pool blue on the directive of President Donald Trump
Trump said the project would be completed by the Fourth of July celebrations. This photo was taken on Thursday
Ed Weiskopf, wearing a mask he ordered online for President Donald Trump, dances as nearby workers apply blue protective coating as part of the Reflecting Pool renovation project
A view from the Lincoln Memorial gives a nice view of the painting of the reflecting pool
Trump said he was inspired to take action after a friend from Germany criticized the condition of the historical artifact.
The president framed the restoration as a triumph of private sector efficiency and business know-how, comparing his approach to a much more extensive Obama-era renovation completed in 2012.
Last month, Trump mocked previous restoration work carried out during Barack Obama’s administration, claiming he was able to significantly reduce costs and speed up construction times.
Trump said the latest project was initially expected to cost about $301 million and would take years to complete before he intervened with an alternative plan focused on resurfacing the stone pavement rather than replacing it entirely.
“I do a lot of things like this for the government, and it is my honor to do so as President,” Trump wrote in an earlier Truth Social post.
He also explained that he abandoned his initial idea of tropical turquoise cladding after contractors persuaded him to adopt what he called ‘American flag blue.’
“You’ll end up with a beautiful, beautiful reflecting pool,” Trump previously said. ‘As it should be, much better than ever.’
The iconic Reflecting Pool is located between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument on the National Mall and famously served as the backdrop to Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in August 1963.
Supporters praised the renovation as another example of Trump applying his real estate background to public projects.
But the revision also sparked a fierce backlash from critics who accused Trump of politicizing national symbols and reshaping them in his own image.
The non-profit Cultural Landscape Foundation has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the project, reportedly describing the blue resurfacing plan as ‘disrespectful’.
Critics also raised concerns about reported cost overruns and allegations about the contracting process.
The project’s price tag may already have risen significantly above Trump’s initial public estimates, The New York Times reported.
