Group sues Trump to stop his ‘pool guy’ from making renovations on DC’s reflecting pool
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Katie HawkinsonMon, May 11, 2026 at 6:40 PM UTC
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A nonprofit group has sued President Donald Trump’s administration to stop renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.
Last month, Trump announced plans to coat the bottom of the reflecting pool “American flag blue” as part of a leak prevention coating project. Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a firm that previously worked on the president’s swimming pools, was awarded a no-bid contract for the project, The New York Times reported.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation said Monday it sued the Interior Department and National Park Service, alleging that the “current application of blue paint to the basin of Reflecting Pool on the National Mall is being done in violation of federal law.”
“The Reflecting Pool’s profound reflective quality—achieved through deliberate design choices, including the dark color of its basin—creates the sweeping mirror image of the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument that millions of visitors experience every year. The dark grey, achromatic basin was not incidental to the design. It was the design,” the complaint reads.
The organization argued that changing the pool’s color, which it described as a “key character-defining feature of the site,” should be subject to review under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and other laws.
A nonprofit group is suing the Trump administration to stop its Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation (Pool)
“The Reflecting Pool should not be viewed in isolation; it is part of the larger ensemble of designed landscapes that comprise the National Mall,” Charles Birnbaum, the foundation’s president and CEO, said in a statement Monday.
“The design intent, to create a reflective surface that is subordinate, is fundamental to the solemn and hallowed visual and spatial connection between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. A blue-tinted basin is more appropriate to a resort or theme park,” he added.
The group also pointed to other Trump administration projects, including the demolition of the White House’s East Wing to make room for a new ballroom.
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“This latest desecration of the reflecting pool is part of a pattern—epitomized most notably by the rush to destroy the East Wing of the White [House]—in which this Administration willfully disregards legal limits established by Congress,” the complaint reads.
The group has asked a judge to temporarily stop the work as the legal battle plays out.
When asked about the lawsuit, an Interior Department spokesperson told The Independent: “President Trump has done more to make our nation's capital a shining beacon than any other president in the history of this country.”
President Donald Trump has said the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will be coated with 'American flag blue' (Getty Images)
“The National Park Service chose the best company to expedite the repair of the iconic Reflecting Pool ahead of our 250 celebrations. The choice of American Flag Blue will enhance the visitor experience by making the pool reflect the grand Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument,” the spokesperson said.
“NPS is also investing in a state-of-the-art ozone nanobubbler filtration system and will now have a dedicated crew who will maintain the grounds from wildlife. The Department is proud of the work being carried out by our Park Service to ensure this magical spot can be enjoyed for not only our 250th, but for many generations to come,” the spokesperson added.
The pool, which sits in front of the Lincoln Memorial, has deteriorated in recent decades and leaks an estimated 16 million gallons every year. The pool underwent a $34 million renovation during former President Barack Obama’s administration, but it continued to suffer from filtration problems and algae blooms on the surface, according to The Washington Post.
Trump’s renovations are now expected to cost $13.1 million, which is up from the initial estimate of $1.8 million, the New York Times reported Monday.
“The contract price reflects the effort necessary to expedite the timeline of completing the leak prevention coating project—more people, more materials, more equipment and longer hours ahead of our 250th,” an Interior Department spokesperson told The Independent when asked about the new price.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
