WorldThe pool's $14.7-million US renovation and subsequent rapid deterioration has become the butt of internet jokes. Some have dubbed June "ALGAEBTQ Pride Month" or commented that Trump, who promised to "drain the swamp" in Washington, has instead created a swamp.Algae, peeling paint and 6 arrests have marred the president's $14M US renovationKevin Maimann · CBC News · Posted: Jun 24, 2026 7:36 PM EDT | Last Updated: 43 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 6 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.A duck and ducklings swim in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Wednesday. Controversy has been swirling around the pool's recent renovation. (Rahmat Gul/The Associated Press)It was big, bold American flag blue. And then it was green. And then it was spotted with chunks of floating paint. U.S. President Donald Trump's ambitious plan to renovate the 600-metre-long Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington, D.C., for the country's 250th anniversary celebration has backfired spectacularly.The pool's $14.7-million US renovation and subsequent rapid deterioration has become the butt of internet jokes. Some have dubbed June "ALGAEBTQ Pride Month" or commented that Trump, who promised to "drain the swamp" in Washington, has instead created a swamp. In one viral video, mixologist Adam Wild made a "reflecting pool" margarita, using matcha to mimic the pool's green hue. Jokes aside, the debacle has led to at least six arrests and the state of the pool is in question with just 10 days to go before July 4 celebrations. And it's not all Trump's fault — the reflecting pool has been causing problems for more than a century. The planThe rectangular, concrete-bottomed pool was built in the 1920s and, depending on vantage point, can reflect the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial. It draws millions of visitors every year. The still, shallow body of water is also a perfect breeding ground for algae. Because it was built on swampland, it's also been sinking over time, which has caused cracks in pipes and other headaches.The National Park Service attempted to fix some of these problems with an 18-month, $34-million US project that started in 2010 under former president Barack Obama. Trump continues to allege D.C. reflecting pool was vandalized, as ex-Olympian denies doing damageTrump spent $14M US to make reflecting pool look blue. Now the water is greenBut within weeks of reopening in 2012, it already had to be drained and cleaned because its surface was covered in algae. In April of this year, Trump, who said the pool looked "disgusting," announced plans to resurface its bottom in "American flag blue" and make it "beautiful." He gave a no-bid federal contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which had previously worked on his golf club in Virginia, to do the job.WATCH | A recap of the pool's ongoing problems:The Reflecting Pool saga | About ThatJune 23|Duration 2:56U.S. President Donald Trump's attempt to repair and repaint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., is not going as planned. Andrew Chang breaks down the race to fix a slew of problems by Independence Day, from large swaths of peeling paint to swampy algae blooms.