A complete timeline of Trump’s Reflecting Pool drama

President Donald Trump promised a renovated Reflecting Pool that would be “American Flag Blue,” but after turning algae green, he’s admitting the project needs further repairs and the pool will have to be drained. It’s the latest turn in a drama-filled renovation for an iconic Washington landmark. Among all of Trump’s various Washington, D.C., renovation or construction projects, his administration’s work at the Lincoln Monument Reflecting Pool has drawn particular curiosity and scorn. Situated between monuments to America’s first and sixteenth presidents, the Reflecting Pool has long had problems. Since its 1922 completion, the pool has leaked water and attracted algae. Trump promised to fix it once and for all, quicker and cheaper than his Democratic predecessors ever could have. [Photo: SI Imaging Services/Imazins] That promise has resulted in a comedy of errors that involve green water, an arrest, and ongoing renovations. Some say the debacle has become a crystal clear metaphor of his presidency. Here’s how we got here: Trump announces renovations In a post on his social network on April 9, Trump said he was renovating the Reflecting Pool. “We were told it was going to take YEARS to do this job, and it will take a fraction of that time, at a fraction of the cost,” he wrote. “And it will be much more beautiful than the day it was built! Workers paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on May 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. [Photo: Al Drago/Getty Images] Renovations begin At an Oval Office meeting on April 23, Trump said renovations had begun, and crews were spotted applying a blue material to the emptied Reflecting Pool basin. “I have a guy who’s unbelievable at doing swimming pools,” Trump said. Trump surveys project Trump visited the Reflecting Pool himself on May 7, driving on the emptied basin in an SUV with his motorcade along with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Homeland Security