Trump's administration won't seek new bids to repair the Reflecting Pool

By — Steve Peoples, Associated Press Steve Peoples, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trumps-administration-wont-seek-new-bids-to-repair-the-reflecting-pool Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump's administration won't seek new bids to repair the Reflecting Pool Politics Jul 5, 2026 12:30 PM EDT NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump administration will not seek new bids to repair the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Sunday as he faced new questions about the troubled project and the taxpayer money involved. Like President Donald Trump, Burgum said he was 100% sure that vandals caused the damage to the century-old Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. Trump has charged that a 350-foot gash was cut into the pool's liner in the midst of recent renovations, while Burgum described it as multiple cuts adding up to that figure. He also said the pool would have to be at least partially drained in the coming week to finish the repairs. WATCH: News Wrap: Former U.S. Olympian faces felony charge for alleged Reflecting Pool vandalism The repairs will not be opened up to new contractors, he said. "We'll use the same company, because they did a fantastic job," Burgum told CNN's "State of the Union." "Thankfully, the vandalism was small. It was bad. I mean, it could cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair, so then it could fall into a felony ... just like damaging any other government property could. But the job that was done to fix the Reflecting Pool was done extremely well." Trump this spring pledged to beautify the Reflecting Pool before the nation's 250th birthday celebrations on July Fourth. Water was drained and the Republican president directed that the bottom be painted a color he called "American flag blue." But after the site was restored, the water was plagued by an algae bloom for more than a week, and pieces of the new coating have appeared to be peeling off the bottom. The pool was closed for the Independence Day celebration, but Burgum said that was due to a safety issue related to the fireworks. The evolving debate over the Reflecting Pool has inflamed the broader fight over Trump's aggressive push to overhaul Washington landmarks, including the White House, nearly two years into his final term in office. READ MORE: Reflecting Pool liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says Authorities have arrested more than a half dozen people related in relation to Reflecting Pool damage, including former Olympian David Hearn, who was indicted last week on a felony of property destruction. The top federal prosecutor in the District of Columbia, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, said Hearn ripped up recently installed sealant on the pool in "a deliberate act" that caused more than $1,000 in damage. She accused him of "forcefully and violently" pulling up the bottom liner "with both hands" and acting bell