Trump insists work on Reflecting Pool is complete - despite workers still at the site

Work was still being carried out on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool a day after President Trump claimed that it was “totally complete,” according to a report.​The Reflecting Pool has been at the center of a months-long controversy, which saw Trump ordering the pool to be drained and repainted “American Flag Blue” - only for the lining to begin peeling off and bright blue algae blooms to appear.​Trump blamed the damage on vandals, with a former Olympic canoeist being arrested for allegedly damaging the pool before charges against him were dropped.​Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump declared that work on the pool was finished.President Trump has declared that work is totally complete on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, despite workers being spotted at the site (Reuters)​“I think they’re going to fill it up this week. The Reflecting Pool is totally complete, and we changed the old pipes,” he said. “We wanted to get open for July Fourth, and now we went and got rid of all of the old pipes, which we were going to do later during the winter.“We did it, and I think it’s almost complete,” Trump added. “I’m going to visit.”​Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the firm handed a no-bid contract to restore the pool, also said on its website that work on the site was complete.​“All warranty repairs were completed Friday, 10/2/2026!” a message on the contractor’s website read. “It has been an honor to serve our great nation!”​However, journalists from The Washington Post saw that work was still ongoing as recently as Wednesday - a day after Trump said work was “totally complete” and four days after Atlantic Industrial Coatings said that all warranty repairs had been completed.The Reflecting Pool pool has been at the center of a months-long controversy after Trump announced that it would undergo major renovations (Reuters)​The workers were spotted spraying material onto two sections of the pool’s interior, and grates for the center drain had not been placed.​Trump vowed back in April that repairs to the pool would be completed in time for the America 250 celebrations.​Trump blamed the appearance of algae and the peeling lining on supposed vandals, whom he claimed on Truth Social had made deep cuts into the pool’s surface and poured chemicals into the water.​Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn was indicted on a felony charge of destruction of property for allegedly damaging the pool, after the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, said at a press conference that he had allegedly “forcefully and violently” pulled the pool’s lining.The pool’s water turned bright green amid the renovation efforts due to the appearance of algae (Getty)​The case has since been dismissed, and prosecutors have been barred from re-charging him.​Atlantic Industrial Coatings even told the Trump administration in reports that its own design and implementation had fallen short, noting that it applied too little primer due to “human oversight,” according to The New York Times.​The American flag blue liner also contained two “incompatible” chemicals.The Independent has contacted the Department of the Interior for comment.