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Parsing Trump's claims about Washington's reflecting pool

Brent Goff | Janelle Dumalaon in Washington, D.C.
June 24, 2026

Algae bloom and peeling paint: US President Donald Trump says vandalism damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a Washington, D.C., landmark. Critics point to possible technical problems with the pool's renovation.

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US President Donald Trump wanted to mark the 250th birthday of the United States with a renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.

The makeover, including a new coat of "American Flag blue," cost taxpayers $16 million (€14.1 million).

But the water is now covered in green algae, and the blue paint is already peeling. Trump has blamed vandals, while his critics have questioned the project's transparency and cost.

DW's Brent Goff and Washington correspondent Janelle Dumalaon unpack the whole fiasco.