Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump made an unannounced visit Thursday to inspect renovations at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, highlighting one of several projects he is backing in the nation’s capital.
“It’s really beautiful, and it’s going to be fantastic,” the president told reporters while touring the site, where the basin has been drained for work. He said the project will replace the pool’s “gray stone” appearance with a more vibrant coating resembling a blue swimming pool.
“It’s going to look better than it did in 1922 when it was built,” he added.
The renovation involves draining, cleaning and resurfacing the nearly century-old pool, which stretches between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument and has served as the backdrop for major national events.
The visit lasted about 30 minutes and came amid heightened security following a recent incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where an armed suspect attempted to breach a secured area.
President Trump said security officials had advised caution about entering the construction zone due to surrounding buildings overlooking the area. “They were not thrilled,” he said, referring to United States Secret Service concerns.
Authorities cleared the heavily visited area ahead of the president’s arrival.
President Trump has said he pushed for the project after a visiting friend criticized the condition of the reflecting pool. He also said he rejected a federal proposal he described as costing about $350 million and taking years, opting instead for a roughly $1.9 million renovation expected to be completed in less than two weeks.
“This is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool before Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and I fix it,” he wrote on Truth Social in December. “Study it hard because you won’t be seeing this Biden filth and incompetence much longer!”
As RSBN previously reported, the restoration of the Lincoln Memorial Reflection Pool is one of several efforts by the Trump administration to renovate and improve Washington, D.C.’s landmarks.
Other plans include constructing a new monument between Arlington Memorial Bridge and the Lincoln Memorial, an arch centered in the Memorial Circle roundabout to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. A new presidential ballroom is also under construction.
