Just weeks before the United States marks 250 years of independence, a high-profile makeover at one of Washington’s most recognizable landmarks is already showing signs of strain: blue paint is flaking from the Reflecting Pool renovation backed by President Donald Trump.
An AFP photographer yesterday observed workers pumping bits of blue paint from the pool, along with green algae that has spread since the basin was recently refilled, leaving the water with a murky, swamp-like hue.
The peeling appears to be affecting broad stretches of the 610-meter-long pool. Over the past several days, news outlets and social media users have documented the continuing problem.
Peeling paint problems seem to extend across the 610-meter-long pool
At one spot, someone had scrawled the word “TRUMP” through the green scum coating the bottom of the pool, where the blue paint has worn away in patches.
“The algae is 75% gone, and the condition will soon be completely remedied, and the area that was vandalized, fortunately, is just a small area of damage, and will be fixed early next week,” he said, adding that law enforcement was “actively investigating” the situation.
The repainting of the pool — a project US media have reported cost about $14m (€12.2m) — is part of Mr Trump’s broader push to leave a visible mark on Washington through projects such as a ballroom at the White House and a massive arch near the Potomac River.
The long pool was built to mirror the Washington Monument on the National Mall
At Mr Trump’s direction, the long rectangular pool — intended to reflect the Washington Monument on the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial — was drained and coated in what he has described as “American flag blue.”
Few places in Washington carry more symbolic weight: from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” speech to several hundred thousand people assembled around the pool.
On 4 July, the United States will celebrate 250 years since declaring independence from Britain.
