President Donald Trump announced on Saturday the Lincoln Reflection Pool project is complete. He described the redesigned basin as having a “Dark Blue surface” and filled with “CLEAN, BEAUTIFUL WATER.”
“All work is complete!” he wrote, adding that the pool “never functioned properly — now it does!”
The administration informed a federal court last week that resurfacing work had been completed early and that the pool would begin to be refilled with water “no later than this coming Sunday, June 7, 2026,” according to a court filing.
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The project, which included repainting the basin, prompted a lawsuit from The Cultural Landscape Foundation. The nonprofit preservation group argued the administration bypassed required federal review under the National Historic Preservation Act.
In court filings, the group said the reflecting pool’s original gray tone was central to its design.
“The dark grey, achromatic basin was not incidental to the design. It was the design,” attorney Alexander Kristofcak wrote.
The lawsuit further contended the changes alter the character of the landmark.
“The new coloration will cause the pool to resemble a large swimming pool rather than the reflective civic landscape it was designed to be,” the lawsuit said.
A spokesperson for the Interior Department defended the color, saying it “will enhance the visitor experience by making the pool reflect the grand Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.”
Despite the legal challenge, administration officials proceeded with the work and notified the court of its completion.
Federal records show the project cost $13.1 million. Trump initially said it would be $1.8 million to repair the pool and paint it blue.
U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols indicated earlier that he was hesitant to immediately halt the project. At one point, he suggested that, if necessary, the basin could be repainted to its original color if the court ultimately rules against the government.
The dispute comes as the reflecting pool faced ongoing maintenance issues, including leaks and costly repairs. Trump has said the latest work sealed cracks and removed debris from the basin, adding that the improvements could last “50 to 100 years.”
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