The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is once again turning green, just days after President Trump completed a $13 million renovation project that was supposed to eliminate the persistent algae problem. Photos from the National Mall show the iconic pool covered in a layer of green algae, raising questions about the effectiveness of the new technology installed by the administration.
The renovation included the deployment of nanobubbler technology, which the Interior Department claimed had "successfully destroyed the algae." A spokesperson for the department told The Hill that the algae currently visible is actually dead and being removed. "Due to deploying the advanced nanobubbler technology, the algae are dead and being vacuumed up as we speak," the spokesperson said, adding, "We thank President Trump for fixing the Reflecting Pool for good."
The contract between the Interior Department and Green Water Solutions specifies that the nanobubblers work by reducing the algae's food supply in the water. However, critics note that algae has plagued the pool since it opened in 1922, and previous renovations, including a major overhaul completed during the Obama administration in 2012, also failed to permanently solve the problem.
Katie Martin, an Interior Department spokesperson, told CNN that the recent algae flare-up was anticipated. "What you are seeing is residual algae from the supply lines, which have been sitting dormant for eight weeks while construction has been taking place," she explained, calling it a "normal part of the startup process."
The National Park Service will now be responsible for ongoing maintenance of the pool. As part of Trump's renovations, the pool's bottom was painted "American Flag" blue, and leaks throughout the 2,028-foot-long structure—which holds roughly 6.75 million gallons of water—were repaired. An Interior Department spokesperson previously stated that the pool was leaking up to 16 million gallons of water annually.
Beyond the algae issue, the Trump administration is also planning to fix leaking pipes in the fall, according to a report from The New York Times. This comes amid broader scrutiny of the administration's infrastructure projects, with some Democrats questioning the cost and effectiveness of the renovations. The return of algae so quickly after the project's completion is likely to fuel further debate.
The incident also adds to the political tensions surrounding Trump's domestic agenda. As California Governor Gavin Newsom accuses Trump of targeting him and his wife with a DOJ probe, the algae story highlights the administration's mixed record on high-profile projects. Meanwhile, Trump's rural support has slipped to 50 percent amid war and policy challenges, suggesting that even symbolic victories on the National Mall may not be enough to shore up his base.
As the cleanup continues, the question remains whether the nanobubbler technology will prove to be a long-term solution or just another temporary fix for a problem that has persisted for nearly a century.
