According to a report by American magazine "People" on June 19, the Reflecting Pool of the Lincoln Memorial was officially reopened on June 6 after renovation. However, just 12 days later, large areas of skinned material began to fall off from the bottom layer of the pool.
The reporter of "Fortress" scooped up a piece of the “national flag blue” backing material that had fallen off from the pool.
Currently, although the US government poured a large amount of hydrogen peroxide into the pond on the 16th, the water still became covered with algae, and the water turned back to a cloudy dark green color.
Trump previously criticized this water color as "dirty and disgusting." This is the reason why he invested approximately $14 million in a major renovation effort, using advanced nano-bubble water technology to kill algae. He also promoted the use of a "national flag blue" anti-seepage lining.
On June 17, the Trump administration claimed to have won the “algal removal battle”. The U.S. Department of the Interior stated that the water in the reservoir is now clear and transparent, and National Park Service staff are cleaning away dead algae that have settled at the bottom of the reservoir.
"The Ministry of Interior has added that ' (dead algae) was like a navy being wiped out in the Persian Gulf."
However, less than two weeks after completion, photographers from the Getty Images reported that many of the newly laid waterproof layers had cracked. Reporters from Trump-anti media outlet The Bulwark conducted a live investigation and found that in the turbid green water, large areas of blue lining were turning up and lifting from the bottom of the pool.
The selection process for the contractor for the renovation project also sparked controversy. According to government documents cited by the American newspaper The New York Times, the Trump administration did not conduct a public bidding process but directly awarded the contract for the renovation work to Atlantic Industrial Coatings in Virginia. This company has no experience with government projects.
Public records show that Atlantic Industrial Coatings had collaborations with Trump, and was involved in the construction project of Trump National Golf Club in Virginia.
According to U.S. law, federal agencies should generally allow suppliers to compete for contracts by bidding to find suppliers who can provide the best services at the lowest cost. However, the law also lists exceptions, such as in emergencies where time is critical and any delay could cause serious damage to the government. Nevertheless, experts on U.S. law point out that the renovation project of the Lincoln Memorial Pool is merely behind schedule and does not qualify for these exceptions.
