The Interior Department sparked controversy Thursday by likening the successful removal of algae from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to the destruction of the Iranian navy. In a post on X, the department's press team touted the effectiveness of advanced nanobubbler technology, claiming it had eliminated algae that have plagued the pool since its opening in 1922—including during former President Obama's reopening.
"The advanced nanobubbler technology very effectively killed the algae that has plagued every Lincoln Reflecting Pool reopening—most infamously Obama's reopening—since 1922," the department wrote. "The Reflecting Pool water is crystal clear, and our National Park Service team is now vacuuming up the dead algae resting on the bottom of some parts of the Reflecting Pool—just like the destroyed Iranian Navy resting on the bottom of the Persian Gulf."
The comparison references the early weeks of the U.S. war against Iran, when U.S. and Israeli forces struck over 60 Iranian ships, according to U.S. Central Command head Adm. Brad Cooper in March. The analogy drew immediate criticism from some observers who saw it as trivializing military action.
The renovation, costing over $13 million, was completed days before an algae bloom turned the pool green. The department noted that vacuuming is the final maintenance step after refilling, expected to finish in a few days. A photo shared by the department showed the pool appearing blue, with the section closest to the Lincoln Memorial already cleaned, revealing what it called a "beautiful American Flag Blue coating" on the bottom.
This is not the first time the reflecting pool has faced algae issues. As reported earlier, an algae bloom marred a previous $14 million renovation during the Trump administration. The problem has persisted since the pool opened in 1922, including after renovations completed during the second Obama administration.
A federal contract worth over $1.7 million between Interior and Green Water Solutions specifies that the nanobubbler technology works by cutting the algae's food supply. The Hill has requested more details on the vacuuming timeline and whether future blooms are expected.
The department's messaging reflects a broader trend of using military analogies in domestic policy communications, a tactic that has drawn both support and criticism. The analogy to the Iranian navy comes amid ongoing tensions in the region, including a recent remote signing of a U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, as noted in our coverage.
