Lincoln Memorial Pool 'Gash' Mystery Might Finally Be Answered
By: Alice Gibbs (Newsweek)
Let the spin begin.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
July 13, 2026 -- The mystery at the center of President Donald Trump's troubled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation may finally be about to get an answer.
As crews drain the pool for a second time, falling water levels could soon reveal whether the damage that administration officials have blamed on vandalism—including claims of a significant "gash" in the liner—actually exists beneath the surface, or whether the project's problems stem from the renovation work itself.
The latest drainage comes months after Trump pledged to have the landmark refurbished ahead of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. With more of the pool floor expected to emerge in the coming days, attention is now turning to what the receding water might reveal.
Newsweek reached out to the Department of the Interior and National Park Service via email for comment.
Pictures of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as it is drained once again. | @dccitygirl/Threads
Why Is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Being Drained?
The latest drainage began days after the Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall and follows a troubled rollout of Trump's renovation project.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in an interview released this week that the work was planned and would allow crews to remove debris left behind by the Independence Day fireworks display, repair damage and refill the pool.
"Drain the water, clean up the fireworks stuff. Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again," Burgum told podcaster Katie Miller last week.
The administration has maintained that vandalism damaged the newly installed coating. Court records previously showed the National Park Service reported a June 9 incident in which a knife or razor allegedly cut the liner.
"They took razor blades and knives and they cut patches like 350ft long," Trump said in June. "They came in and they cut it. And then they grabbed it and they pulled it up. That's why it's all ripped," he added, saying that the vandals might be suffering from "Trump Derangement syndrom e."
Reflecting Pool Renovations So Far
Trump announced plans this spring to overhaul the famous reflecting pool, saying he wanted the project completed before July 4 as part of the nation's semiquincentennial celebrations.
The work involved draining the pool, installing water-treatment infrastructure and applying a new waterproof coating that Trump described as "American flag blue."
In May, Trump said the project was ahead of schedule and suggested the upgrades could last for decades.
However, shortly after the pool was refilled, visitors began noticing problems. An algae bloom developed, prompting accusations from the Trump administration that someone had put algae in the pool on purpose, and sections of the new coating appeared to peel away from the bottom surface.
While the administration argued that vandals damaged the liner, experts questioned whether the problems reflected flaws in the repair work itself.
A picture of the Reflecting Pool as it drains on July 13, 2026, and National Park Service workers beginning the draining last week. | AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein & EarthCam
Several people have been charged with misdemeanor offenses linked to allegedly removing or damaging material from the pool. Former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn pleaded not guilty last week to charges connected to the site.
Hearn and his attorneys have argued that he merely examined already-detached material and has denied causing any significant damage.
The reflecting pool was fenced off during the July 4 celebrations, when access was restricted as thousands gathered on the National Mall for the anniversary events and fireworks display.
Democratic lawmakers have separately sought information about the project's costs, contracting process and use of taxpayer funding.
Watching The Water Level Drop
The draining of the pool represents a pivotal moment in a project that Trump has personally championed, and the key question over the coming days is what becomes visible as the water level continues to drop.
Photos posted to social media on Monday showed portions of the pool's sloping sides emerging from the water, although no obvious large-scale damage was visible in the images.
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One widely shared post noted there was "no sign of a 350-foot gash" as the drainage continued.
The National Park Service has not said how long the latest drainage will take, but water levels have already fallen significantly since pumps were installed on July 10. If the current pace continues, larger sections of the pool floor could become visible in the coming days.
Ohio-based Green Water Solutions previously received a $1.7 million contract connected to water purification systems, while Atlantic Industrial Coatings was awarded a $14.7 million contract for waterproofing and coating work.
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Will Trump's accusations hold up? Or will this be another TACO?
His accusations are obviously 100% bullshit. How he expected to get away with this outrageous lie is a mystery.
The reflecting pool is under 24x7 video surveillance yet not a single video corroborating his ridiculous lie.
Absolutely... He will lie, and imprison people just to protect his ego...this entire fiasco is proof.
Honestly, all he had to say was, "hey, we fucked it up, we'll drain it and fix it..", and that would have been the end of it, but trump is incapable of admitting he EVER makes a mistake so....round up a few people and charge them with baseless crimes.
Unfuckingreal.
His MAGA cultists believe anything he says no matter how outlandish or obviously false.
The damage was done when donny had his motorcade drove THROUGH the pool right after the liner was placed, so he is the vandal, lock him up.
maybe one of the magas here can explain why
I'm not seeing a gash anywhere....
Should have read:
The work was done by a company with a no-bid contract, and they screwed it up. The only person trump has ever hired that was qualified to do their job was Stormy Daniels.