{"id":30598,"date":"2026-08-07T03:06:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T22:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=30598"},"modified":"2026-08-07T03:06:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T22:06:26","slug":"a-look-at-trumps-false-and-misleading-claims-about-the-reflecting-pool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=30598","title":{"rendered":"A look at Trump&#8217;s false and misleading claims about the Reflecting Pool"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\" data-body-type=\"bodyblocks\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In April, President Donald Trump announced that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was being renovated to address long-standing cosmetic and structural issues. He initially promised a gleaming blue pool that would be fixed in a week at a cost of $1.5 million, much less than what previous administrations had paid for work on the national landmark.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But four months later the results of the project have not lived up to Trump&#8217;s rhetoric, which has in some cases become increasingly hyperbolic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Here&#8217;s a look at his many claims and the facts around them.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Cost and time frame<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">TRUMP, on April 23 at an <a data-ylk=\"slk:Oval Office event;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/rollcall.com\/factbase\/trump\/transcript\/donald-trump-remarks-health-care-affordability-april-23-2026\/#:~:text=it%20very%20easily.-,Donald%20Trump,-00%3A43%3A56\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Oval Office event<\/a>: &#8220;Our job will take one week and will cost about a million and a half dollars.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">THE FACTS: Work is ongoing 15 weeks later. The pool was <a data-ylk=\"slk:drained for a second time;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/reflecting-pool-drained-trump-repairs-d3ee1129c0d65083114f2c059f4b5c80\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">drained for a second time<\/a> in mid-July to address returning algae blooms and issues with a new coating that was peeling. Trump&#8217;s estimates of the project&#8217;s cost have increased as work has progressed, to &#8220;less than $20 million.&#8221; Records show that more than $16 million worth of contracts have been awarded for the project so far.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Relationship with contractors<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">TRUMP, on April 23 in <a data-ylk=\"slk:a video;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116455604892115486\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">a video<\/a>: &#8220;And I said, no, there&#8217;s a better way of doing it. I said, what we&#8217;re going to do is I&#8217;m going to call all three of these people that have worked for me in the past, doing swimming pools.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">THE FACTS: Trump bragged on multiple occasions about calling up contractors he had worked with previously who could fix the pool and <a data-ylk=\"slk:multiple no-bid contracts;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/reflecting-pool-vandals-damage-trump-burgum-repairs-105349d6ef71cbab6582d89abf6e7aec\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">multiple no-bid contracts<\/a> were awarded.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Ohio-based <a data-ylk=\"slk:Green Water Solutions;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/oversightdemocrats.house.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/2026-06-24garciatogreenwatersolutionsllc.pdf\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Green Water Solutions<\/a>, also known as Greenwater Services, was given a $1.7 million contract to install a water-purification system in the Reflecting Pool, while Virginia-based <a data-ylk=\"slk:Atlantic Industrial Coatings;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/oversightdemocrats.house.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/2026-06-24garciatoatlanticindustrialcoatingsllc.pdf\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Atlantic Industrial Coatings<\/a> was awarded $14.7 million to repaint and waterproof the pool&#8217;s concrete floor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Trump later backtracked. He said in a <a data-ylk=\"slk:May 12 post;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116561201966385448\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">May 12 post<\/a> on Truth Social, &#8220;I didn&#8217;t give out the contract, &#8216;Interior&#8217; did, to a contractor I did not know, and have never used before.&#8221; At an unrelated Oval Office event on Aug. 3, the president doubled down. &#8220;And by the way, I didn&#8217;t know the contractor,&#8221; <a data-ylk=\"slk:he said;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/live\/6cbnOnzxmkc?si=iShu3HfYTzJYl-d5&amp;t=2920\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">he said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Spending by previous administrations<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">TRUMP, on May 27 at a <a data-ylk=\"slk:Cabinet meeting;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/live\/ln-FnwDYE4Y?t=2208s\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Cabinet meeting<\/a>: &#8220;The Biden administration and the Obama administration spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to get it to work, and they failed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">THE FACTS: <a data-ylk=\"slk:This is false;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-reflecting-pool-renovations-obama-biden-millions-c261ebc9898149002bb384a084e49b27\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">This is false<\/a>. The Obama administration spent <a data-ylk=\"slk:at least $34 million;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-reflecting-pool-renovations-obama-biden-millions-c261ebc9898149002bb384a084e49b27#:~:text=The%20Obama%20administration%20spent%20at%20least%20%2434%20million%20on%20a%20massive%2C%20two%2Dyear%20reconstruction%20project%20that%20ended%20in%202012.%20No%20major%20repairs%20to%20the%20pool%20were%20done%20during%20the%20Biden%20administration.\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">at least $34 million<\/a> on a massive, two-year reconstruction project that ended in 2012. No major repairs to the pool were done during the Biden administration.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">The work will be indestructible<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">TRUMP, on May 4 at a <a data-ylk=\"slk:White House event;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/live\/nEDoEBVlHJE?t=3509s\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">White House event<\/a>: &#8220;This will last for at least 50 years and you&#8217;ll never have a leak,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s very strong. You couldn&#8217;t \u2014 if you had a knife, I don&#8217;t want to give anybody ideas \u2014 if you had a knife you can&#8217;t even cut it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">THE FACTS: The president responded to reports about problems with the resurfacing by saying that the pool had been cut with a box cutter, knife, or sharp razor, resulting in either a giant gash <a data-ylk=\"slk:ranging from;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116785296448420208\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">ranging from<\/a> 250- to <a data-ylk=\"slk:350-feet;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/trumpstruth.org\/statuses\/39621\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">350-feet<\/a> or &#8221; <a data-ylk=\"slk:numerous slashes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116800002761284625\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">numerous slashes<\/a> over a very long 350-foot length.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Authorities made <a data-ylk=\"slk:at least seven arrests;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/reflecting-pool-arrest-felony-trump-renovations-vandalism-d946ccf6bfc5207d4c5380b9001b7c26\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">at least seven arrests<\/a> related to problems at the pool, including charging former Olympian David Hearn with one count of felony destruction. <a data-ylk=\"slk:Hearn pleaded not guilty;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/reflecting-pool-damage-trump-david-hearn-c2f8e1d689d8cd3cd4f9aade65c674ee\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Hearn pleaded not guilty<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Trump also blamed vandals for the algae bloom that reoccurred after the pool was refilled, <a data-ylk=\"slk:claiming;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116793994014541387\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">claiming<\/a> on June 22 that someone may have put chemicals <a data-ylk=\"slk:such as fertilizer;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/rollcall.com\/factbase\/trump\/transcript\/donald-trump-remarks-executive-order-quantum-technology-june-22-2026\/#:~:text=looks%20very%20good.-,Donald%20Trump,-00%3A30%3A24\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">such as fertilizer<\/a> in the water to &#8220;create the algae.&#8221; Algae has been a problem with the pool for many years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">By the end of July, the cases were falling apart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Justice Department moved July 31 to <a data-ylk=\"slk:dismiss a criminal case;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/reflecting-pool-damage-olympian-hearn-trump-21d997b5b55e6adf01862d7c5292476d\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">dismiss a criminal case<\/a> against Hearn, saying evidence prosecutors had recently received refuted the idea that vandals were to blame.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Its 20-page filing from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said that additional documents provided by the Interior Department since Hearn&#8217;s indictment show that the damage was the result of a botched installation by a contractor as well as &#8220;the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the American 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Charges have <a data-ylk=\"slk:also been dropped;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-reflecting-pool-pirro-vandalism-criticism-c7aabcf59e87651dd7be0b322b5460b1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">also been dropped<\/a> against three other people \u2014 Justin Carreno, Cameron Thiers and Sophie Dennison-Gibby \u2014 charged in the same D.C. court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of paint from the pool, according to online court records.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Trump has <a data-ylk=\"slk:rebuked Pirro's move;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-reflecting-pool-pirro-vandalism-criticism-c7aabcf59e87651dd7be0b322b5460b1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">rebuked Pirro&#8217;s move<\/a> and <a data-ylk=\"slk:maintained that;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-pirro-reflecting-pool-3703eaedddf580f32ff9aca33bc11851\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">maintained that<\/a> vandals are responsible, saying that she &#8220;choked&#8221; and &#8220;folded like an umbrella.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">___<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Find AP Fact Checks here: <a data-ylk=\"slk:https:\/\/apnews.com\/APFactCheck;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/APFactCheck\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/apnews.com\/APFactCheck<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In April, President Donald Trump announced that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was being renovated to address long-standing cosmetic and structural issues. He initially promised a gleaming blue pool that would be fixed in a week at a cost of $1.5 million, much less than what previous administrations had paid for work on the national&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/6cc5d0a7b25cd0ef5ac891782e834baf9403e8d979f127a91be1b61b6371a2f4\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w1200%3Bquality_80%3Bformat_jpg\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fap.org%2Fd0ec2266ae669c765de9d41a310ef7d4","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-trending-viral-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30598\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}