By Basant El-Faramawy
President Donald Trump stood before the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday to deliver a closing midterm election message and celebrate the completion of a second round of renovations, calling the work "a complete job and we're very proud of it." Hours after his speech, Washington Post reporters walking the perimeter spotted several areas where the new coating appeared to be cracking or peeling, along with at least 20 spots where the color was noticeably uneven, showing light blue streaks instead of the dark "American flag blue" Trump selected.
Immediate signs of failure
The reporters observed the defects shortly after the pool was reopened. Trump had said the leaks were fixed and the bottom resurfaced with "the strongest coating you can get." The rapid reappearance of flaws raises questions about the durability of the latest repair effort.
Interior Department defends project
A Department of the Interior spokesperson credited Trump with restoring the landmark, telling The Independent: "The Reflecting Pool has never looked this beautiful and it's all thanks to President Donald J. Trump. He's an expert builder who was able to repair the pool in ways Obama and Biden could never even dream of." The spokesperson attributed the light-blue discoloration to "surplus coating" that would fade or be scrubbed off, and described the cracking as "stray pieces left over from the renovation and needed repairs due to deranged vandalism."
History of renovation problems
The latest issues follow an earlier renovation failure. After the first round of repairs in the spring, the pool's new lining began flaking shortly after it was refilled in June. A Post investigation found deterioration in at least 85 places, with an inspection report blaming renovation errors, including the use of improper materials and a rushed installation. Coatings experts said the materials require specific application techniques and drying times; failure to follow those requirements can cause loss of adhesion.
Vandalism claims dropped
The Trump administration initially blamed vandalism for the damage, leading to the arrest and prosecution of several people, including former Olympic athlete David Hearn. The Justice Department dropped the case in July, stating the installation was "botched." A judge ruled last month that federal prosecutors could not refile charges against Hearn. The pool was then drained, repaired again, refilled, and reopened in October.
