Trump claims ‘vandals’ foiled his $14m bid to revamp DC’s reflecting pool. What actually happened?

Donald Trump’s rush to repaint the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, an iconic symbol of Washington DC , has hit roadblock after roadblock as the country’s 250th anniversary nears. The public has been gripped by the ill-fated $14m bid to renovate the reflecting pool, which the US president vowed to make “beautiful” in time for this summer’s birthday celebrations at the capital. Trump sought to turn the monument “American flag blue” in time for the Fourth of July holiday, awarding a no-bid contract to a company he said had previously done work on swimming pools at one of his golf clubs. But it has endured problems with algae, peeling paint and a ballooning price tag. The pool, built in 1922, runs more than 2,000ft between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Martin Luther King Jr delivered his I Have a Dream speech in front of the reflecting pool in 1963. Trump claimed this renovation of the site would be far more successful than those which took place under other presidents. He even posted an AI-generated image of himself and other administration officials shirtless in the renovated pool (you cannot swim in the reflecting pool). But as an unmistakably green hue continues to cover the pool, the president is now claiming foul play. Here’s a rundown of his many claims about the project, and what actually happened. How much has it cost? Trump originally said the renovation would cost $1.8m to repair and repaint the reflecting pool. …