Since returning to the White House last year, Donald Trump has made renovating Washington, DC a major focus of his agenda, arguing the capital had been neglected and made ugly. Among his larger projects are a new ballroom, an “anti-drone” White House upgrade, and a giant triumphal arch meant to dwarf the Lincoln Memorial. In recent weeks, he has also pushed a refurbishment of the nearly 620-meter Reflection Pool on the National Mall, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.
Trump first announced the pool project in April, saying a friend from Germany had complained that it looked murky and disgusting. He said the pool would be repainted in “American flag blue,” as part of preparations for America’s 250th independence anniversary next month. The price estimate rose from $1.8 million to $14.7 million, and U.S. media reported that a company owned by donor John J. Caparo received a $1.7 million no-bid contract to install a cleaning system.
The work finished earlier this month, and Trump showcased the newly blue pool, but within days algae returned and turned the water a dirty green. Pool Service Company president Kocis Anzer II told AP the algae was unsurprising because the water comes from the Potomac River and is untreated. He also said the dark new coating may have worsened the problem by raising the water temperature and helping algae grow.
In the last few days, National Park Service workers and private contractors have been using chemicals, ozone nanobubbles and pumps to remove the algae, leaving patches of the new paint exposed. The controversy grew after reports that the fresh paint is already peeling in places. Trump responded overnight by calling the pool vandalized and saying “left-wing lunatics” damaged it, while also pointing to the large “86-47” marking on the grass nearby, which his allies see as a threat against him. CNN said the marking had been visible for more than a week, and that the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service had been asked for comment but had not responded.
