The bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool now appears more gray than blue, just weeks after the completion of a contentious renovation project. The fading of the liner—originally painted a bright blue to evoke the American flag—has become the latest flashpoint in a saga involving no-bid contracts, algae blooms, and the arrest of a former Olympic athlete.
The U.S. Interior Department awarded Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings a no-bid contract worth over $14.6 million to repaint and waterproof the pool's concrete floor. The firm finished the work last month, ahead of President Trump's July 4 deadline. But soon after, an algae bloom turned the water green, and sections of the blue coating began peeling off.
To combat the algae, the Interior Department issued another no-bid contract—this time for more than $1.7 million—to Ohio-based Green Water Solutions. The company installed a nanobubble ozone technology system to kill the organisms. Interior Secretary Burgum has defended the no-bid awards, citing the urgency of the July 4 deadline.
The New York Times reported that contracting records show the owner of Green Water Solutions is John J. Cafaro, a Trump donor who lives near the president's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. The connection has drawn scrutiny from ethics watchdogs and Democratic lawmakers.
President Trump blamed vandalism for the peeling coating, and federal authorities arrested several people in connection with the damage. Among them is David Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist, whom a grand jury indicted on July 2. Prosecutors allege Hearn “forcefully and violently” ripped up the bottom liner with both hands, causing more than $1,000 in damage to two square feet of sealant.
Hearn pleaded not guilty last week and has denied the allegations. He told the Washington Post that he reached into the pool and grabbed the end of a piece of paint that was already peeling. His court appearance drew attention from civil liberties advocates. “I didn’t vandalize anything,” Hearn said. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”
The case has taken on a political dimension. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) has defended Hearn, calling the charges “trumped-up” and questioning the administration's rush to prosecute. Raskin's criticism echoes broader concerns about the use of federal law enforcement for what he describes as a maintenance issue.
The fading of the pool's blue liner—now visible from the top of the Washington Monument—has become a visual symbol of the project's problems. The Interior Department has not commented on whether further repairs are planned. Meanwhile, the pool remains drained, its gray liner exposed to public view, as the political and legal battles continue.
