‘OMG’: Trump Had to See It for Himself, Flies Over His Reflecting Pool Masterpiece as Photos of Something Dead In the Water Go Viral
‘OMG’: Trump Had to See It for Himself, Flies Over His Reflecting Pool Masterpiece as Photos of Something Dead In the Water Go Viral
Trump’s Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has spent weeks making headlines for floating blue paint, murky green water, and chemical treatments.
Problems began almost immediately after the $14 million project reopened on June 5.
Trump had the century-old Reflecting Pool painted “American flag blue” after criticizing its filthy appearance. The renovation took nearly two months, far longer than his promised two-week timeline.
But the makeover has been an internet spectacle ever since.
Within days, the water turned green after algae circulated through dormant supply lines when the pool was refilled, according to Interior Department officials.
Crews treated it with nanobubble technology and hydrogen peroxide.
Soon afterward, videos showed strips of the new blue lining peeling off and floating across the surface.
Even before construction ended, preservationists unsuccessfully sued.
They argued the administration had bypassed the required review process for changes to the historic landmark.
In a troubling image that circulated on social media on Sunday, a dead duckling appeared to be floating near the Reflecting Pool.
“NEW: A baby duck has now died at the reflecting pool. This image was shared with me in the past hour by someone who visited the reflecting pool. It is unclear what the cause of death is,” one person wrote while posting a photograph.
Other visitors shared a similar image, asking, “Omg how awful! I wonder if it was from all that peroxide they put in the reflecting pool?
As more viral images spread, some blamed the chemicals added to the basin. Others pointed to the darker blue coating that absorbed heat and encouraged algae growth.
One person wrote, “Because this idiot painted the pool darker it attracts more heat which leads to algae blooms. The blue-green algae is toxic for the ducks. They need to be removed.”
Another added, “This is a video of the duck family from yesterday, poor baby. Literally everything Trump touches dies.”
Scientists, however, urged caution before drawing conclusions.
Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used to control algae. Experts say the diluted amount used in the pool’s roughly 6.7 million gallons of water would not normally harm wildlife. Officials have not linked algae to the duckling’s death, and its cause remains unknown.
Even as the mystery unfolded online, Trump was making his way back to Washington.
Marine One circled the Reflecting Pool before flying Trump to Joint Base Andrews. The flight fueled speculation that he wanted a closer look at the troubled project.
Soon afterward, the president confirmed he had personally inspected the site.
“Work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I just inspected it, and could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing? SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE! We will fix it.”
The president has repeatedly blamed vandalism for the project’s problems without publicly providing evidence.
Earlier this weekend, according to Forbes, he claimed someone cut a “250 foot long gash” into the new lining and poured “corrosive and destructive chemicals” into the water. He also compared the incident to the recent “86 47” message found etched into grass on the National Mall.
Authorities later confirmed several people had been arrested or cited around the Reflecting Pool.
Among them was David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist. Hearn told reporters he stopped during a long bike ride because he wanted to see the peeling material for himself. He said he briefly touched one loose strip before National Guard troops and Park Police detained him for about five hours.
His account raised additional questions because simply touching one loose strip would not explain widespread algae blooms or large sections of the basin’s coating separating from the bottom.
Trump’s aerial inspection quickly became another social media event.
“How is he ‘inspecting it’ from a helicopter?” one person asked.
Another wrote, “THIS is how to best use the National Guard? And Trump couldn’t even call them to defend the Capitol from criminal assault on Jan. 6? Pathetic.”
A third user saw the Reflecting Pool as a metaphor: “Hahahahahaha! That pool is the perfect example of the Trump Presidency! A cesspool of green sludge! Stop embarrassing your stupid self.”
Whether the latest repairs finally solve the Reflecting Pool’s problems remains to be seen.
For now, the landmark has become an unexpected political flashpoint. What was meant to reflect the nation’s greatness has instead reflected the fierce debate surrounding one of Trump’s most visible public projects.
