President Donald Trump is facing criticism now that officials are scrambling to explain why the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is coated with what they've referred to as "residual algae," creating an eyesore at one of Washington, D.C.'s most cherished attractions.
Although the Trump administration praised the project and said the nation's capital looked "better than ever" after the reservoir reopened, signs of algae growth were visible along the water's edge just one day after it was refilled.
CNN observed a worker removing algae from the bottom of the pool during a visit on Wednesday.
In response to questions about the issue, Interior Department communications director Kate Martin said the algae was a normal byproduct of restarting the Reflecting Pool's operations and described it as leftover, or "residual," growth from the renovation process.
She added:
“President Donald J. Trump is an expert builder who has fixed the Reflecting Pool for good unlike the failed and extremely costly attempt by Obama and Biden."
But CNN's footage doesn't back her up, and liberal activist Brian Krassenstein shared it, remarking:
"HOLY CRAP: Trump’s $10 million renovation of the reflecting pool is already filled with algae just days after it opened. Is this what you all voted for?"
You can see the footage below.
Similarly, strategist and influencer Christopher Webb remarked that he'd "been saying" that the Reflecting Pool "was going to end up looking like a green swamp, not blue," adding:
"I just didn’t expect it to happen this fast. One day after it was filled, there’s already a ton of algae. And let’s be clear: this dude vacuuming the bottom is only part of the process. Without filtration and chemical treatment, the algae is here to stay."
You can see his post below.
The sight of the Reflecting Pool in its current state looks even worse when you consider that Trump often criticized the condition of the pool, describing it as unsanitary and poorly maintained. He argued, just as Martin did in her statement, that earlier administrations had neglected necessary repairs, allowing leaks and other infrastructure problems to persist.
The renovation's price tag also stings: Trump initially estimated the project would cost about $1.8 million, but subsequent figures climbed to $13.1 million before ultimately reaching roughly $14.2 million.
This is the result—and people aren't happy about it.
Earlier this month, Trump was mocked after sharing a chart with reporters that compared the length of the Reflecting Pool to the heights of several skyscrapers.
Trump praised the “very special material” being used in the overhaul of the Reflecting Pool—we saw how that worked out—and displayed a chart labeled “Our Pool is Bigger than Skyscrapers,” using it to compare the pool’s dimensions with the heights of several well-known landmarks, including New York’s Empire State Building.
As much as Trump bragged he didn't seem to get that while the raw measurements may be numerically accurate, the comparison creates a distorted impression of scale because people intuitively experience skyscrapers as height, not length.
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