Reflecting Pool renovation stalls as sealant continues to peel away

Freelance photographer Joe Flood released footage of workers extracting sizable pieces of sealant that are separating from the dry concrete at the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. President Trump had repeatedly asserted that the pool had been vandalized, leading the Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office to charge former Olympic canoeist David Hearn in July for allegedly damaging the pool’s paint and lining.

Those charges were later dropped when it became clear the paint was peeling because hydrogen peroxide had been applied to eradicate algae. Recent court filings show the administration knew about the peeling problem nearly a month before the accusations were made. The renovation contract was given to Greenwater Services, a longtime Republican donor, through a no-bid process, and the Justice Department now admits the pool’s condition stems from Greenwater’s flawed liner installation. The ongoing deterioration could expose Trump to legal action from Hearn and prompt a congressional inquiry into the fabricated charges.