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The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues to mirror the Washington Monument after over a month of renovations to redo the pool's basin.On Monday, June 8, I visited the memorial to observe the progress of the construction project that began in April. President Donald Trump commissioned a swimming pool contractor to carry out the work, according to a lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of the Interior by The Cultural Landscape Foundation on May 11.The complaint took issue with the basin's color, which the organization said had been a signature feature of the pool since its opening in 1924. The Reflecting Pool basin was previously painted achromatic and gray.The prior color created the illusion of greater depth and a more profound reflection, according to the nonprofit, which cited a National Park Service Cultural Landscape Report published in August 1999.In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, the National Park Service said it had painted the basin "American Flag Blue,” a dark navy. The agency said the color would improve the pool's reflectivity compared to the existing gray concrete.The concrete, the agency said, collects algae and turns a slimy green.Before the concrete bottom, the pool was a black asphalt. At points, the water had been dyed to improve the reflection, the agency said.How did the pool look on Monday, June 8?On Monday, the pool offered a decent reflection of the monument, as it continues to be filled with water. Additionally, some of the construction crews were spotted wearing "Make America Great Again," or MAGA, hats.In an X post on June 4, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum shared a photo of the reflecting pool showing a glowing Washington Monument shimmering on the water, demonstrating that despite the new color, the Reflecting Pool will maintain its purpose.Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.
