Trump's $14M Reflecting Pool Renovation Hit by Algae Bloom Weeks Before July 4 Deadline

An algae bloom took hold in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool around mid-June, roughly ten weeks after Trump ordered the $14 million renovation. Crews treated the water with hydrogen peroxide to suppress the cyanobacterial growth. The timing raises questions about whether the pool's new American-flag blue paint altered thermal and light conditions, accelerating the bloom. With a July Fourth deadline looming, the pool faces potential visual compromise during peak Independence Day crowds.