WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the painting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool basin was completed. Trump described the shade used for the basin as "American flag blue."
The Trump administration stated in a court filing that the reflecting pool is expected to be filled with water no later than Sunday. As of early Thursday, construction vehicles remained inside the reflecting pool basin, which contained no water. The administration had notified the court on Wednesday that construction on the reflecting pool was complete. Construction crews restricted access to the reflecting pool at the end of April to apply paint.
Trump estimated the cost of the reflecting pool work at $1.5 million to $2 million. Public records show that at least $14.8 million in contracts have been awarded for the project. Trump announced the renovation in April during an Oval Office appearance. He said he initiated the renovation after a visitor from Germany described the pool as dark and unappealing.
The reflecting pool is located between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It measures over 2,000 feet in length and was originally constructed in the 1920s. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech at the reflecting pool in 1963.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum inspected the drained pool basin on foot and took photographs. According to the National Park Service, the basin held approximately 6.5 million gallons of water prior to a 2012 renovation. That renovation installed a circulation and filtration system that draws water from the Tidal Basin rather than the municipal supply. Washington, D.C., and surrounding states are experiencing drought conditions. Water flow has resumed at fountains in Meridian Hill Park and outside Union Station.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation filed a lawsuit requesting a judge to halt construction on the reflecting pool. In the lawsuit, the foundation stated that the new paint color suggests a theme park. The Department of the Interior oversees the National Park Service.
No independent assessment of President Donald Trump’s claims was available.