Algae Returns, Paint Peeling After $16 Million Reflecting Pool Renovation

Criticism of the Trump administration is rising as issues persist over the famed reflecting pool in Washington D.C. despite a costly renovation.

After a $16 million renovation, the paint on the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall is peeling, and algal blooms have returned.

The 2,030-foot long pool is located beside the Washington Monument in the United States capital city, along a famed stretch known as the National Mall. Built in 1922, the reflecting pool has undergone extensive renovations over the years, but none as controversial as this year’s.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump announced that the pool would undergo renovations this year in an attempt to target leaking joints, repaint the floor, and permanently remove persistent algal blooms. He confirmed that the costs would not exceed $1.8 million – but that quickly changed.

In April, Trump gave the contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based company, in a no-bid deal. Usually, government contracts go through an extensive bidding process to identify a contractor that can do the work for the least amount of money, but no-bid contracts can be awarded in specific cases.

In the case of the reflecting pool, the Trump administration claimed that the no-bid deal was justified due to the urgency of the task, as it needed to be completed before the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4. Meanwhile, Trump stated that he chose the company because they worked on the swimming pools at his golf club in Virginia.

However, the lack of a bidding process quickly raised concerns over corruption – Trump has been widely accused of several schemes that utilize taxpayer money for his own purposes, though he has vehemently denied all claims.

Those concerns later intensified once the costs of the project ballooned – the Interior Department added millions to the contract in May to account for the urgency of the project, and further payments in June brought the total cost of the project to around $14.7 million. The additions were not justified by the department.

On top of this, another no-bid contract was awarded to Green Water Solutions – costing another $1.74 million to remove the algae using a new technology – bringing the total costs of the renovations to more than $16 million.

Despite this, the issues have persisted. The administration insists that the water is “crystal clear” and the bottom of the pool has been painted a crisp “American flag blue.” Experts argue that the darker shade of blue has made the pool a heat sink, increasing the water temperature and allowing algal blooms to thrive. Recent reports have confirmed that the noxious green algae is back, and the chemicals used to remove them – including hydrogen peroxide, which is notorious for causing paint issues – are causing the paint at the bottom of the pool to begin peeling off.

Meanwhile, Trump has blamed the peeling paint on vandalism, claiming that local police have arrested “multiple individuals.” One 67-year-old former Olympic canoe racer, David Hearn, was cycling on a 64-mile ride when he stopped by the pool to examine the peeling paint.

Hearn claims that he reached into the pool to touch the paint before being arrested by authorities – he was detained for more than five hours on Friday until his release, and he is set to appear in court next month.

Nevertheless, critics have pointed out that vandalism cannot possibly be responsible for the widespread peeling of the paint on the bottom of the pool, neither would it explain the algal blooms. Others have criticized the high cost of the renovation and suggested that some sort of corruption could be at play, but nothing has been confirmed.

The Global Snapshot for June 21, 2026:

• Iran is closing the Strait of Hormuz once again due to allegations that their current ceasefire with the United States has been violated by Israel. Israel and Hezbollah have continued trading strikes despite yesterday’s ceasefire, drawing the ire of Iranian officials.

  
  

• US President Donald Trump is threatening to charge tolls of his own if a ceasefire deal with Iran is not completed before the upcoming 60-day deadline.

  
  

• After a massive fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in Bayahibe, officials from the Dominican Republic have confirmed the single fatality to be that of an Italian national. Over 1,700 were evacuated due to the blaze.

  
  

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In the 1940s and 1950s, cities began building the first skyscrapers. However, the elevators were too slow, and upgrading them would incur major costs. Instead, engineers installed mirrors to keep people occupied, reduce claustrophobia, and make the ride less boring – and the strategy continues today.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey. (Babs Hoffman)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Longueur (noun, lawn-GUR) - Longueur refers to a boring part of something (such as a book or play). It is usually used in the plural form.

In a Sentence: Though not without its longueurs, the opera came to life in the last act.

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