Democrats probe Trump’s troubled $16 million reflecting pool renovation
Workers clean the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on June 25, 2026.
Anna Money Maker | Getty Images
A group of Senate Democrats is investigating President Donald Trump’s troubled renovation of the reflecting pool in Washington, which has drawn scrutiny for being over budget and rapidly deteriorating.
“The American people deserve to know why the rehabilitation project failed and the corrective actions the Department has taken to address this ongoing problem,” Democrats argued Thursday in a letter led by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and addressed to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
“Since the renewals were announced, the project has been plagued by a number of issues that raise serious questions about project management, contract practices, quality control, and fiscal responsibility,” the senators wrote.
Trump’s renovation of the reflecting pool attracted national attention as the “American flag blue” resurfacing began to peel and algal blooms increased. The goal of the renovation was to improve the pool’s reflective properties and reduce algae growth, and despite the apparent problems, it was touted as a success by the White House.
Trump acknowledged problems with paint and algae, but blamed vandals for the wading pool’s problems without any evidence.
On Wednesday, Trump posted a photo of the pool’s surface on his Truth Social account, saying: “This hard rubber surface – No Paint – Before the Vandals cut it open!”
Broken paint and moss after the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was painted blue on Monday, June 22, 2026 in Washington, DC, USA.
Aaron Schwartz | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Democrats noted that although Trump initially said the reflecting pool renovation would cost $1.8 million, it has now risen to more than $16 million. ABC News reported last weekciting federal contracting documents.
“The issues currently facing the reflecting pool are not just maintenance concerns but also failures in project execution and government oversight,” they wrote. “Following the signing of a no-bid contract and a significant increase in project costs, the public was assured that the rehabilitation project would restore one of the nation’s most visible landmarks. Unfortunately, this did not happen.”
The pool is expected to be drained again for additional repairs.
“If a project of this cost and magnitude cannot remain functional for a month after completion, serious questions must be raised regarding the planning, implementation, inspection process and Ministry’s acceptance of the completed work,” they continued.
Senators demanded answers from Burgum about the project. The Department of the Interior is home to the National Park Service, which manages the National Mall and its monuments.
“What failure?” the Interior Ministry said when asked for comment on the letter by CNBC. and including one link to an X post From the official White House account, which includes four photos of the reflecting pool reflecting the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.
The answers senators are seeking include how much the project is currently expected to cost and why the project has exceeded its initial estimate of $1.8 million, as well as a full accounting of the funds used for the project and their sources.
Workers turn a valve at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool following the completion of final renovations in Washington, D.C., on June 22, 2026.
Kent Nishimura | AFP | Getty Images
Lawmakers are also seeking a full list of more expected repairs, answers to why the department chose to award a no-bid contract for the work and whether the contractor will be held liable. They also asked whether the department “conducted an independent engineering, architectural or construction quality review regarding peeling, cracking and failure of the pavement system” or an investigation into algal blooms.
In a press release on Thursday, the White House argued that Trump’s vandalism claims were substantiated by pointing to surveillance video of the alleged vandal, which the Park Police were trying to identify.
In the video, the person is seen reaching into the pool and pulling something out of the pool. It is not clear exactly what the person is lifting in the video. Trump has repeatedly claimed that vandals cut and removed the surface.
“This is not random mischief; it is targeted sabotage by anti-American lunatics who despise a strong, proud and beautiful country,” the White House press release said. “President Trump will not stop beautifying our Reflecting Pool.”
