Cost of Reflecting Pool Repairs Nearly Doubles, Trump Administration Says

Key Points:

• President Trump initially stated that his chosen contractor would charge $1.8 million to repair and paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue, but the cost has now risen to $13.1 million after the Interior Department expanded the contract.
• The Interior Department awarded a no-bid contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia firm with ties to Trump’s golf club, citing urgency to complete the work before the nation's 250th birthday on July 4.
• The contract’s value increased by $6.2 million to expedite the project, involving more personnel, materials, equipment, and longer working hours, according to an Interior Department spokesperson.
• The current contract price matches an offer from Atlantic Industrial Coatings that included a 20% profit margin, raising concerns about the fairness and transparency of the no-bid contract process.
• Competitive bidding laws are designed to ensure fair pricing for government contracts, but this contract bypassed that process due to claimed urgency, with no public explanation of the specific risks of delay.