Trump hails 'American flag blue' repaint of the Reflecting Pool as nonprofit launches lawsuit

WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the growing controversy around the renovation of the Reflecting Pool, President Donald Trump hailed the project, pushing back against claims that it was merely a “paint job.”

The president made the comments while defending his broader modernization and renovation efforts at the White House, and the controversial renovation of the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial.

Trump pushes back against ‘paint job’ claim on Reflecting pool renovation

President Trump pushed back against media reports, particularly The New York Times, that described the renovation work as a simple “paint job,” saying that the ongoing renovation was extensive work.

“We took away 16 loads of garbage out of that only two-feet-deep pool,” Trump said, explaining the magnitude of work. “We put this magnificent coating. It's almost complete. Not a paint job."

He said the pool will be fully sealed with a strong industrial-grade coating, similar to the thick protective material used in swimming pools.

According to Trump, construction experts told him they were using a very durable, “heavy duty” material that could withstand damage and last a long time. The president emphasized that the final result would look “beautiful.”

Trump reveals how he chose ‘American flag blue’ for pool

Trump then described how he chose the ‘American flag blue’ colour for the swimming pool, stating that he “had a hard time” choosing the colour because he was shown around 70 different colour options and felt overwhelmed by the number of choices.

Eventually, when he saw a shade named “American flag blue,” he decided to go with it.

“There were like 70 colors. I said, couldn't you give me three? 70 is a lot. They had every color you could imagine.

“And they called them, and I looked and looked. I say, what is this? Sir, that's 'American flag blue.' I said, I'll take that one. And I think it's going to be beautiful.”

Trump further emphasised that his recommendation in the renovation “saved $349 million” and “four years of construction.”

“But I recommended it to them because I'm very good at construction. So, we saved at least, think of it, I saved $349 million and I saved four years of construction.”

Advocacy group sues Trump Reflecting pool paint

A Washington-based nonprofit, The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF), filed a lawsuit on Monday, May 11, challenging the Trump administration’s decision to resurface the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and repaint the basin blue.

The suit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, names the National Park Service, the United States Department of the Interior, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum as defendants.

TCLF argues that the administration moved forward without carrying out the federal review process required by the National Historic Preservation Act.

What is the dispute around the Reflecting Pool renovation?

According to the nonprofit, the Reflecting Pool serves as an important visual and symbolic connection between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

The organization’s president and CEO, Charles Birnbaum, criticized the blue-tinted redesign, arguing that it changes the historic feel of the National Mall.

The group further alleged that the project is part of a wider plan to carry out major redesigns in Washington without sufficient review or consultation.

The surge in the projected cost has also added to the controversy, as the project, which was initially estimated to be completed at a cost of less than $2 million, has reportedly now ballooned to seven times that figure.

Initially, the project was estimated to be completed for $1.8 million, but the budget has now been increased by 88 per cent to $13.1 million.