Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation finished; water to be refilled under Trump
The renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been completed, with the shallow basin painted a deep "American flag blue" as announced by President Donald Trump. The administration filed a court document stating the pool will be refilled with water by Sunday, after a period where the basin remained empty.
Trump estimated the project's cost at $1.5‑$2 million, though contract records indicate at least $14.8 million was awarded. The work, inspired by a visitor’s complaint about the pool's dark appearance, follows other Trump‑era changes to the National Mall area. The reflecting pool, a historic site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 speech, originally held about 6.5 million gallons before a 2012 upgrade that switched its water source to river water from the nearby Tidal Basin.
A nonprofit, the Cultural Landscape Foundation, has sued to halt the renovation, arguing the new paint resembles a theme‑park aesthetic. No court order has been issued, and the Interior Department has not yet responded to inquiries.