Trump’s American-flag blue paint is peeling off the Reflecting Pool after they dumped hydrogen peroxide in the water to kill the algae. That’s enough metaphor for today, thank you
When Donald Trump announced a renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, he said it would cost $1.5 million, that it would clear the algae, and that it would make the pool beautiful again with an American-flag blue paint job.
No. No. And No.
The cost of the renovation was $14.2 million – paid, incidentally, to an acquaintance of Trump, without being put out to tender.
Within days, the algae was back, and worse than it had been previously, according to scientific readings, so they sent National Parks staff to pour hydrogen peroxide into the water.
They're literally dumping hydrogen peroxide into the reflecting pool this morning… 😳 pic.twitter.com/7KGTprNPKg
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) June 16, 2026
It wasn’t a roaring success.
Ha ha ha ha the hydrogen peroxide only affected the edges I’m dying I’m dying 💀💀💀💀😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/8j0snNmyhw
— chiky handler (@chiky_handlr) June 16, 2026
In what has to be the clunkiest metaphor so far, the paint has begun to peel in huge sheets.
Clips are going viral of the new $14M paint on the Reflecting Pool peeling off just 12 days after the pool reopened. pic.twitter.com/4bX8v1jCfB
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) June 18, 2026
Is it supposed to be doing that https://t.co/WR6AqNEuZB
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) June 18, 2026
The reactions were largely unsurprised – and highly uncomplimentary.
1.
>Give $14M no-bid contract to your friend to paint the pool blue
>Pool turns green anyway because algae grows in warm stagnant water
>Pour hydrogen peroxide into the pool to kill the algae
>The hydrogen peroxide peels off the blue paint https://t.co/QGJoHWioPz— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) June 18, 2026
2.
Hydrogen peroxide is used as paint remover.
It will remove even a $15m paint job.Follow me for more advanced science tips.pic.twitter.com/gYQCV13ML2
— Jean-Claude Damn Van™ (@ChaosAgent_42) June 18, 2026
3.
Holy shit!! There are huge chunks of blue paint coming off the reflecting pool already…
It seems the peroxide loosened things up, yikes!!THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE. pic.twitter.com/vqnlOBlhxF
— ᗰᗩƳᖇᗩ (@LePapillonBlu2) June 18, 2026
4.
Who would have thought that this would have happened when Trump overpaid on a no-bid contract to a friend on a project everyone advised against? https://t.co/E8P6nypvns
— Melanie D'Arrigo (@DarrigoMelanie) June 18, 2026
5.
Uh oh https://t.co/AqjHed5YR4
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) June 18, 2026
6.
This senseless and useless waste of our tax dollars is an accurate representation of the Trump administration.
— Rip Tandrich (@riptandrich) June 18, 2026
7.
You can’t be surprised when a circus has clowns https://t.co/jycujmbScY
— Jeremy London (@SirJeremyLondon) June 18, 2026
8.
“The reflecting pool is open and everyone is having a wonderful time.” pic.twitter.com/GrrZVXboSV
— Hoodlum 🇺🇸 (@NotHoodlum) June 18, 2026
9.
Unreal. https://t.co/gXZnEmrdeH
— Angry Staffer (@Angry_Staffer) June 18, 2026
10.
Oh you used a low grade commercial pool sealant paint, on coarse shallow granite, flooded with algae water, and pounded it with the incorrect chemicals to try and deal with the algae?
Yeah no shit the pool is going to disintegrate.
Trump's symbolic trash swamp. https://t.co/6KGWxVP70z
— Adam Cochran (adamscochran.eth) (@adamscochran) June 18, 2026
11.
idrgaf about the reflecting pool but it’s so funny that this administration just can’t do anything right https://t.co/nIed1Bm6Dc
— brandon* (@brndxix) June 18, 2026
12.
Trump in a nutshell, cheap, nasty bling https://t.co/r496FUMzRk
— Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) June 18, 2026