President Donald Trump is now saying the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool may need to be drained again—just weeks after a major renovation meant to “fix” it in the first place.
And yes, that same renovation is already the one being blamed for the new round of problems.
“We met with contractors today, will probably be forced to release and drain much of the water in order to do the necessary repairs, but will have them done as quickly as possible,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Saturday night.
The comments land after the pool—fresh off a multimillion-dollar overhaul—began showing exactly the kind of issues the renovation was supposed to prevent: algae blooms and peeling surface material drifting through the water.
Trump also claimed that multiple arrests have been made in connection with what he called “vandalism” at the site, framing the situation as deliberate sabotage rather than a construction or maintenance failure.
“Many additional people have been arrested having to do with the disgraceful Vandalism of our beautiful Reflecting Pool,” he wrote. “It hasn’t looked or worked like this since 1922…”
He went on to describe the project as a historic improvement, claiming the pool now has a “mirror like finish” that better reflects the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial than ever before.
That claim is now colliding with reality.
Just days after the renovation was completed, the pool’s water turned green due to algae growth. Around the same time, parts of the newly installed surface began peeling away—turning a high-profile restoration project into a rapidly unfolding maintenance problem.
The Interior Department has said crews are now using hydrogen peroxide treatments and additional cleaning measures, describing the work as routine maintenance following refilling. Officials also said there were “no harmful side effects” from the chemicals being used.
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to frame the situation as intentional damage, warning that those responsible could face serious consequences.
“Years in jail!” he wrote, reacting to reports of arrests, including one involving a visitor who allegedly touched a peeling section of material.
The Reflecting Pool project is just one of several high-visibility renovation efforts underway in Washington during Trump’s second term. Others, including major White House construction projects, have also drawn scrutiny over cost, scope, and execution.
For now, the Reflecting Pool stands as something of a snapshot of that broader approach: a high-profile “fix” that may already need another one, before the first one even settled.
And if Trump gets his way, the solution to the last drain may once again involve… draining it again.
