FACT FOCUS: A look at Trump’s false and misleading claims about the Reflecting Pool
Summary
President Donald Trump claimed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation would cost $1.5 million and take one week, but after 15 weeks work continues, with costs rising to nearly $20 million. Trump also made contradictory statements about the contractors involved and overstated previous administrations’ spending and the durability of the repairs.Key Facts
- President Trump announced the Reflecting Pool renovation in April, promising it would take one week and cost about $1.5 million.
- Work was still ongoing 15 weeks later, with the pool drained twice to fix problems like algae and peeling coatings.
- Contracts awarded for the project total over $16 million so far, with estimates near $20 million.
- Trump initially said he used contractors he had worked with before, but later said he did not know the contractors.
- Two companies received major contracts: Green Water Solutions ($1.7 million) for water purification and Atlantic Industrial Coatings ($14.7 million) for concrete work.
- Trump falsely claimed that previous administrations spent hundreds of millions on failed repairs; only about $34 million was spent under President Obama, and no major repairs occurred under President Biden.
- Trump said the new repairs would last at least 50 years and be unbreakable, but reports later showed damage from cuts and slashes on the pool’s surface.
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