Crews are draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool again as part of Trump's troubled revamp

By — Will Weissert, Associated Press Will Weissert, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/crews-are-draining-the-lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-again-as-part-of-trumps-troubled-revamp Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Crews are draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool again as part of Trump's troubled revamp Politics Jul 10, 2026 2:08 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Crews are again draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as President Donald Trump's problem-plagued efforts to revamp the waterway pushes well past his initial goal of having it ready by July 4 to mark the nation's 250th birthday. The president at first suggested his renovations would last a century. But, within weeks of the project originally reaching completion last month, the water was beset by an algae bloom and pieces of the new coating appeared to be peeling off the bottom. Trump has blamed the peeling on vandals, though critics allege it's from shoddy repair work. READ MORE: Former Olympic canoe racer pleads not guilty in Reflecting Pool damage case Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose agency oversees the National Park Service, told conservative podcaster Katie Miller in an interview released earlier this week that the new round of draining was planned. He also said that the water might still contain debris from an extensive Independence Day fireworks display over the National Mall. "Drain the water, clean up the fireworks stuff," Burgum told Miller, who is the wife of deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller. "Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again." The work on the Reflecting Pool is just one of a number of projects Trump has spearheaded across the nation's capital. Most prominently, he demolished the White House's East Wing to build a $400 million ballroom and plans to build a towering arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. He initially announced his intentions to beautify the Reflecting Pool this spring, saying he wanted it completed before the nation's 250th birthday celebrations. Water was drained and Trump directed that the bottom be painted what he called "American flag blue." In May, the president posted on his social media site of the pool: "The goal is to have it done, at this higher level, prior to July 4th — We are ahead of schedule!" READ MORE: Trump's administration won't seek new bids to repair the Reflecting Pool But problems began quickly after the initial work was finished. Trump blamed vandals, and court documents later showed that the National Park Service reported to the U.S. Park Police a June 9 incident in which a sharp knife or razor cut the pool's new liner. On Thursday, former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn pleaded not guilty in D.C. Superior Court to deliberately damaging the Reflecting Pool. Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine the peeled sealant and let go of a chunk whe