One of the most recognizable sights in Washington looks very different than it did a year ago. Its gray stone floor is now a bright blue, and the president is calling it a source of national pride.
President Donald Trump celebrated the reopening of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, after a renovation that coated its floor in a shade he calls American flag blue.
What did Trump say at the Reflecting Pool?
Speaking to a select group of National Park Service rangers and U.S. Park Police, Trump said the project should unite all Americans and be something the country is proud of.
He said his administration accomplished something people had been trying to do since the pool was built in 1922. He also accused past administrations of letting Washington fall into disrepair and joked about naming the pool after himself before saying he was not serious.
The event came a day before the midterm elections, and Trump used it to deliver a closing pitch to voters.
What work was done on the Reflecting Pool?
The pool, more than 2,000 feet long and 167 feet wide, is the largest reflecting pool in the world. Crews updated pipes and valves, waterproofed seals, installed a system that adds air to the water to limit algae and cleaned the walkways.
The floor was coated and painted blue, covering the original gray granite. Trump said he scrapped a plan to replace the granite, which he said would have cost about $301 million and taken at least three years.
The Interior Department said the blue surface helps the pool better reflect the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Supporters of the color say it makes the pool look cleaner and more vibrant.
How much did the Reflecting Pool project cost?
Trump initially put the cost at $1.5 million to $2 million. Records later showed the project cost about $13.1 million, funded partly by visitor fees collected at national parks, and some reports have put the final cost even higher.
The work was first expected to be finished by July 4 but took longer than planned. Water returned to the pool in June, though work continued afterward.
Why has the project drawn criticism?
The Cultural Landscape Foundation, a nonprofit, sued to stop the work, arguing the blue coating alters the historic character of the Reflecting Pool. The group’s founder said the original design was meant to create a quiet surface that frames the view between the two monuments.
Critics have also said Trump is focusing on personal projects instead of issues such as the cost of living. Supporters say the aging landmark needed repairs.
The project is part of a broader effort by Trump to reshape Washington, including a new White House ballroom and a planned arch near Arlington National Cemetery. The East Wing of the White House was demolished to make room for the ballroom.
Why does the Reflecting Pool matter?
The Reflecting Pool sits between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument and has served as the backdrop for major moments in American history.
It was the setting for the 1963 March on Washington, when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech to a crowd that stretched along the water.
Singer Marian Anderson also performed at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 after being barred from a segregated concert hall. More than 75,000 people attended her outdoor concert.
For many Americans, the Reflecting Pool remains a symbol of the nation’s struggle for equality, which is why changes to it draw strong feelings. Visitors will now see that history reflected in a new shade of blue.
