EXCLUSIVE: Trump's $16Million Reflecting Pool Renovation 'Sparks Lethal Algae Crisis' — As Environmental Expert Warns It Could Take Time to Fix
The nation's Reflecting Pool turned green after renovations.
June 24 2026, Published 1:05 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump's takeover of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool allegedly caused permanent damage to the ecosystem.
Nestled in the National Mall, the pool sits across from the Lincoln Memorial, mirroring the sky and the Washington Monument. The landmark became a distinguishable part of Washington, D.C. and the United States of America upon its completion in 1922.
However, under Trump's leadership, recent changes to the pool caused quite a stir, including damage to the pool's algae and ecosystem, RadarOnline.com can reveal, and the results are "lethal."
Trump's Reflecting Pool Renovation Turned Green
Donald Trump promised a bluer appearance.
Trump, 80, ordered the concrete on the bottom of the pool to be painted "American flag blue," advertising a clearer reflection with the removal of algae, and his request even spurred a lawsuit in an attempt to block the renovation.
Upon its completion on June 5, though, new algae began to sprout on the pool's surface.
Arif Gasilov, partner at Natural Resources & Built Environment at Gasilov Group, told Radar: "This is really ironic because renovation probably caused the algae bloom. The old Reflecting Pool had decades of established microbial communities that competed with harmful algae and kept it in check."
He explained draining a body of water gets "rid of that biological balance," which allows cyanobacteria the chance to grow.
Gasilov pointed to the blue/green algae spotted in recent photos of the Reflecting Pool, noting its "toxic" characteristic.
By draining the pool, Trump effectively created a new aquatic surface, where this sort of algae grows the fastest, "especially shallow and still water with no circulation."
Toxic Algae Caused Ducks' Death
Algae on Reflecting Pool's surface is toxic to wildlife.
Gasilov said: "So the 16million USD renovation created the conditions for a toxic one."
Proof of the toxic waters began immediately with ducks appearing dead on the pool's surface. City Wildlife, a local wildlife rehabilitation organization, collected two birds on Sunday.
They wrote in a statement: "We appreciate everyone’s concern for the duck family and other ducks currently visiting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as it undergoes continued repairs. City Wildlife’s Duck Watch team continues to monitor the situation closely, including daily dedicated checks on the Reflecting Pool."
Gasilov noted: "Cyanobacteria produce microcystins and other toxins that are confirmed lethal to waterfowl that skim or drink from the surface."
He called the death of ducks at the pool "kind of predictable."
Repairing Ecosystem 'Can Take Years'
Regrowing the ecosystem isn't a quick fix.
In response to the algae regrowth, National Park Service workers poured hydrogen peroxide into the pool and began manual vacuuming.
However, draining the pool again would likely just reignite the problem, Gasilov claimed. Instead, he warned the Trump administration it will take time to remedy the problem.
Gasilov explained: "What's worse is that this will keep happening until years pass for a biological normal to establish again, which can take years."
The other option included a hefty cost for taxpayers – persistent chemical or mechanical intervention.
Trump Blames Vandals for Damage
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Demonstrators want the algae to grow.
Trump pushed the blame for the Reflecting Pool renovation failure elsewhere.
In addition to the algae bloom, the pool's blue paint began to lift and pull up. He claimed the damage was the result of unhappy vandals.
The president wrote on Truth Social, "The United States Park Police have arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Poll (sic). Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail! Work will begin immediately on its repair."
In support of regrowing the pool's ecosystem, demonstrators showed up with "pro-algae" costumes, demanding the growth be left alone.
According to CBS News, an official claimed 14 arrests were made.
One individual, David Hearn, was drawn to the pool out of curiosity. After dipping his hand into the waters, he was detained by authorities for five hours.
Hearn, a former Olympic canoe racer who owned a company that provided materials to build watercraft, described the water as "rubbery."
