Trump backs $14 million overhaul of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool amid algae bloom

President Donald Trump announced a $14 million renovation of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial after a green algae bloom turned the water murky. National Park Service crews used hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble technology to kill the algae and began cleaning the pool, while the Department of the Interior noted that the ``advanced nanobubbler technology very effectively killed the algae that has plagued every Lincoln Reflecting Pool reopening''. The interior department also suggested the algae problem was linked to previous administrations, mentioning former President Barack Obama.

Commentators described the algae incident as a metaphor for Trump’s second term, highlighting the contrast between his promises of a "blue‑flag" appearance and the green‑tinged water. The refurbishment effort, part of a broader push to restore monuments, has drawn criticism for its cost and the visible peeling of the new paint applied to the pool’s bottom.