Trending News
I went to see the renovated Reflecting Pool. Here’s what stood out
June 8, 2026Updated June 9, 2026, 9:14 a.m. ET
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues to mirror the Washington Monument after over a month of renovations to redo the pool’s basin.
On Monday, June 8, I visited the memorial to observe the progress of the construction project that began in April. President Donald Trump commissioned a swimming pool contractor to carry out the work, according to a lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of the Interior by The Cultural Landscape Foundation on May 11.
The complaint took issue with the basin’s color, which the organization said had been a signature feature of the pool since its opening in 1924. The Reflecting Pool basin was previously achromatic and gray.
The prior color created the illusion of greater depth and a more profound reflection, according to the nonprofit, which cited a National Park Service Cultural Landscape Report published in August 1999.
In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, the National Park Service said it had painted the basin “American Flag Blue,ā a dark navy. The agency said the color would improve the pool’s reflectivity compared to the existing gray concrete.
The concrete, the agency said, collects algae and turns a slimy green.
Before the concrete bottom, theĀ poolĀ was a black asphalt. At points, the water had been dyed to improve the reflection, the agency said.
How did the pool look on Monday, June 8?
On Monday, the pool offered a decent reflection of the monument, as it continues to be filled with water. Additionally, some of the construction crews were spotted wearing “Make America Great Again,” or MAGA, hats.
In an X post on June 4, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum shared a photo of the reflecting pool showing a glowing Washington Monument shimmering on the water, demonstrating that despite the new color, the Reflecting Pool will maintain its purpose.
This story was updated to add new information and to meet our standards.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.
