Trump drives across Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to inspect new blue coating he’s putting on it
The Cultural Landscape Foundation says the $13.1 million project bypassed required review and is altering a historic landmark on the National Mall.
- On Monday, the Cultural Landscape Foundation filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to halt the ongoing repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, arguing the project proceeds without required environmental assessments or public consultation.
- Bypassing competitive bidding, the administration awarded a no-bid contract to Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings, citing urgent preparation for the nation's 250th birthday on July 4; costs ballooned to $13.1 million from an initial $1.8 million estimate.
- Charles Birnbaum, founder of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, argues the 'American flag blue' coating destroys the historic character of the 104-year-old landmark, stating the original dark-tiled basin was fundamental to the visual connection between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
- In a statement, the Interior Department defended the project, claiming the new color will 'enhance the visitor experience' by reflecting the grand Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument; the National Park Service chose the firm to expedite repairs for the 250th anniversary.
- Multiple lawsuits currently challenge President Trump's efforts to remake historic sites, including plans for a White House ballroom and a Potomac River arch, joining growing disputes over the administration's adherence to preservation procedures.
128 Articles
128 Articles
Trump’s reflecting pool work hit by costs, lawsuit
What happenedA Washington, D.C., nonprofit Monday asked a federal court to pause President Donald Trump’s push to paint the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool “American flag blue,” arguing the makeover violates federal historical preservation laws. Trump last month said he’d chosen a “pool guy” who worked on his golf club swimming pools to coat and paint the leaking landmark, predicting it would cost $1.8 million. The Interior Depart…
Nonprofit sues the federal government over plans to paint Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue
A nonprofit is suing the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum over the decision to resurface the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall, and to paint the pool’s basin blue.The suit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF), an education and advocacy organization. In the suit, TCLF is asking a fe…
Donald Trump Faces Lawsuit Over Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Changes
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images President Donald Trump’s latest Washington project has drawn unexpected legal attention before work reaches completion. A nonprofit organization recently challenged the changes, raising questions about how the administration handled the high-profile renovation. NGO files lawsuit against Donald Trump over reflecting pool renovation The Washington Post reported that a Washington-area nonprofit sued President D…
Painting the Reflecting Pool is 'more appropriate to a resort or theme park,' says the president of a nonprofit suing the Trump administration
A nonprofit is asking a judge force the Trump administration to stop its work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
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