Was the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool drained again?
Crews drain Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool as Trump orders new repairs after Fourth of July debris, algae issues.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will be “back in service soon,” President Donald Trump said, following extensive renovations that took a turn.
President Donald Trump shared the development in a Truth Social post on Monday, July 13.
The president said the pool was drained again to “fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals two weeks ago.” The landmark had been first drained in April to repair the pool’s basin, which had leaked at least 16 million gallons of water a year, and change the color to “American Flag Blue.”
“We wanted to wait until after the July 4th Weekend,” the president’s post said. “The Parks Department had to empty the water in order to fix the water tight basin. It will be refilled and put back into service soon.”
At least three people were charged with destruction of property after allegedly removing pieces of the lining from the pool.
All of the individuals pleaded not guilty, including former Olympian David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.
See the empty Reflecting Pool
On Friday, July 10, crews were observed draining the 6.5 million-gallon pool once more to make way for the next round of renovations. On Monday, July 13, water was still slowly draining from the pool, according to USA TODAY reporting. By Wednesday, July 15, the pool sat empty.
What happened to the Reflecting Pool?
After the pool had been drained, the president said 300-yard-long slashes were discovered on the bottom.
“The floor of the pool was cut and then pulled upward, with great force,” Trump said in the July 13 post without providing details.
Hours later in another Truth Social Post on July 13, the president again said it was “vandalism” that caused the damage to the Reflecting Pool. “It will be fixed soon, and better than ever,” he wrote, adding that “Washington has never looked better, or been safer.”
USA TODAY has contacted the National Parks Service and Interior Department for additional information.
A look at the ongoing Reflecting Pool saga
Renovations to the Reflecting Pool began in mid-April. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the project would cost around $1.5 million, but that amount ballooned to over $16 million by June.
Atlantic Industrial Coatings LLC was selected to line the pool with polyurea in an attempt to stop ongoing leaks and create the “American Flag Blue” basin effect.The renovations were completed in mid-June, but within days the pool became overrun with algae due in part to Washington, D.C.’s hot summer temperatures. Visitors and reporters also spotted the lining peeling off and floating to the surface. The Trump administration deployed measures to reduce the color green, including using hydrogen peroxide and a nanobubble filtration system to make the water more transparent.
The landmark was fenced off ahead of Fourth of July celebrations before the next round of renovations began in July.
The National Park Service has struggled to maintain the pool since its opening in 1923.
The pool has historically been subject to maintenance, cleaning and repair complications. In 1986, an engineering report concluded the pool’s structural system was failing.
Trump isn’t the only president who has tried to tackle issues with the Reflecting Pool head-on.
In 2012, the Obama administration attempted to repair the pool’s water quality, spending millions over 18 months in the process. However, the efforts did not permanently resolve the issue, the Interior Department told USA TODAY.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected].
