Trump says Reflecting Pool work is done and it's set to be refilled
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump’s renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, including painting the basin a deep “American flag blue,” has been completed and is scheduled to be filled with water by Sunday.
- Trump initially cited a friend’s criticism of the pool’s appearance as inspiration for the project, which he estimated would cost $1.5 to $2 million, but contracts totaling at least $14.8 million have been awarded.
- The Reflecting Pool, a historic and iconic Washington landmark, was originally built in the 1920s and renovated in 2012 to use river water instead of city drinking water amid regional drought concerns.
- Critics argue Trump is focusing excessively on personal projects like the pool’s renovation instead of pressing voter concerns such as the cost of living ahead of the November elections.
- A nonprofit sued to halt the project over concerns the new dark grey paint made the pool resemble a “theme park,” but the administration has declared the work finished and plans to fill the basin imminently.