Trump's 'American flag blue' reflecting pool project gets a mixed reaction in D.C.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., is being resurfaced in a shade of blue dubbed 'American flag blue' as part of a renovation project backed by President Trump. The project, initially said to take one week, is now expected to be completed by the end of May, with work involving multiple coating layers. Reactions from the public are mixed, with some welcoming improvements and others criticizing the timing and cost during peak tourist season.
- ▪The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is being resurfaced with a blue industrial-grade coating called 'American flag blue.'
- ▪President Trump claimed the project would take one week and cost $2 million, but the Department of the Interior expects completion by the end of May.
- ▪The reflecting pool, built in the 1920s, has long needed repairs due to sinking and poor water circulation.
- ▪Workers initially used paint rollers but switched to sprayers during the application process.
- ▪Local residents and tourists have expressed mixed reactions, with some concerned about disruptions during peak tourism months.
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| Original publisher | NPR Topics: News |
| Canonical URL | https://www.npr.org/2026/04/28/nx-s1-5802343/reflecting-pool-resurfacing-blue-trump |
| Publication time | Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:25:25 -0400 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-04-28T18:36:49.540Z |
| Last seen | 2026-04-28T18:36:49.540Z |
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National Trump's 'American flag blue' reflecting pool project gets a mixed reaction in D.C. Updated April 28, 20265:04 PM ET Originally published April 28, 20262:25 PM ET Heard on All Things Considered By Rachel Treisman Trump's 'American flag blue' reflecting pool project gets a mixed reaction in D.C. Listen · 3:06 3:06 Transcript Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5802343/nx-s1-9748732" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript Workers paint a corner of the reflecting pool blue on Monday morning.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NPR Topics: News.
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