The Trump administration has confirmed that a manager from one of President Trump's golf resorts acted as an unofficial adviser on renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a project that has drawn scrutiny over its costs and contracting process.
David Schutzenhofer, who has run Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster for nearly two decades, helped bring in Greenwater Services for a $1.7 million no-bid contract to install a permanent water purification system, according to an Interior Department spokesperson. The New York Times first reported the arrangement.
Schutzenhofer's background is in hospitality, not engineering or construction. He holds a master's degree from New York University in hospitality and tourism and teaches at Montclair State University. His LinkedIn profile lists no experience in infrastructure or water systems.
An Interior Department spokesperson defended his role, stating that Schutzenhofer is an unpaid volunteer offering suggestions out of patriotism. “To insinuate he is directing government contracts or acting as a federal employee is categorically false,” the spokesperson said.
The reflecting pool project has expanded well beyond Trump's initial $1.8 million estimate. The administration also awarded a $13.1 million no-bid contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings to waterproof and tint the pool's base with “American flag blue.” Trump has said the work will be finished by Independence Day.
In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed he had enlarged the project for aesthetic reasons, writing: “I’ve made this a much larger job than originally contemplated for purposes of Beauty, and a much longer life. Also, went to a higher quality sealer with more reflectivity.”
The use of no-bid contracts and the involvement of a Trump business employee have sparked criticism, particularly as the administration faces other controversies over conflicts of interest. The IRS has been permanently blocked from auditing Trump's pre-settlement tax returns, adding to concerns about oversight.
Meanwhile, the White House has been focused on other priorities, including tightening sanctions on Iran and navigating diplomatic talks. The reflecting pool project, while smaller in scale, underscores the administration's approach to federal contracting and personal involvement in public works.
The Hill has reached out to Schutzenhofer and the golf club for comment. The Interior Department has not provided further details on how the contracts were awarded or whether Schutzenhofer will continue in an advisory role.
