Visitors observe the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool through a fence as its draining continues, following renovations and Independence Day celebrations, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 12, 2026. REUTERS/Leah Millis
A New York Times investigation has found that President Donald Trump's problems with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool are a result of his own making.
In a report posted Friday, the Times said that the pool has long been plagued with issues. In 2012, the first renovation was taking place in nearly 100 years. Even those repairs haven't been free of problems. The pool continues to leak, and algae continues to grow in the sweltering Washington environment.
Trump decided he could fix it quickly and it would be just in time for his big July 4th celebrations.
Instead of relying on the normal National Park Service planning process, the administration turned to David Schutzenhofer, a manager of Trump’s Bedminster golf club who had experience in the hospitality industry but no background in engineering or architectural qualifications.
Schutzenhofer attended a Las Vegas trade show, where he came upon companies that proposed lining the pool with blue polyurea, which could be described as “American flag blue.” It wasn't something that the Park Service had previously considered. What became obvious was that Trump's own tariffs on resins coming from China meant that the options of liners for the pool were significantly limited.
The administration handed out the no-bid contract, and the project began. All of the concerns that career officials had over the project’s risks, costs, contractor profit margin, and preservation reviews were thrown aside or downplayed altogether, the Times discovered in documents.
There were problems almost immediately. Bubbles and holes appeared in the lining while other sections began to peel. Meanwhile, the algae returned. The rushed schedule, weather delays, and flaws in the installation made things worse, prosecutors revealed in the indictment of Olympian David Hearn. Despite the signs, Trump proclaimed the lining of the pool could last “100 years” and continued promoting the success.
But then things began going south. Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum blamed "liberal" vandals, alleging that people cut the liner with a "box knife" and even put chemicals into the water to hurt Trump.
However, investigators later debunked the vandalism theory, finding no evidence of foul play. Ultimately, the rushed, defective lining had to be completely removed just weeks after the holiday event, costing taxpayers millions and leaving the historic landmark closed for months of emergency repairs.
The conspiracy quickly unraveled. Court documents later revealed that Hearn, hired as a consultant, had warned the administration about the structural failures before being scapegoated.