Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the renovations of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on July 5, 2026, calling the project a "big success" despite issues with peeling paint and algae. The renovations, which began in April, have cost over $16 million—$4 million more than the original no-bid contract.
Speaking on ABC News' "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos, Burgum said the pool is no longer leaking 45,000 gallons of water daily and that less than one-tenth of one percent of the industrial liner has been damaged. He added that this remaining damage, attributed to vandalism, is the only outstanding repair left.
Burgum supported President Donald Trump's claim that vandals caused a 350-foot gash in the pool's liner, reportedly cut with a "knife or box-cutter," and noted that additional cameras have been installed at the site as a result.
He also highlighted the new nanobubbler system, which has effectively addressed the algae problem—a historic challenge for the shallow pool in hot weather. Burgum emphasized that the initial renovation was completed for a fraction of the cost of past projects and that any additional fixes to the pool's lining will be "a small number."
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