Back

Beautification Out of the (American Flag) Blue: The Lawsuit That Attempted to Halt the Reflecting Pool Makeover

July 2, 2026

The Reflecting Pool with its gray basin in 2006. (Image: Hu Totya, Sept. 18, 2026, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

By Cara Ianuale

Since the start of the President’s second term, the Trump administration has ramped up efforts to “beautify” the federal landscape.^{^[1]} Many of its undertakings have been met with legal challenges:

last December, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit to stop construction on the White House State Ballroom.
In February, a group of military veterans and a historic preservationist sued the administration over a proposed triumphal arch dubbed “Arc de Trump.”
In March, eight cultural and architectural groups filed a suit against the administration for unauthorized renovations to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. is among the most recent of federal sites to become the subject of a lawsuit. Earlier this year, the Department of the Interior and President Trump’s plan for the pool made headlines: in addition to undergoing repairs, the pool’s long-maintained gray surface was to be repainted “American flag blue.” In May, The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) sought an injunction to halt the resurfacing; while the project was completed before the court reached a decision, the lawsuit is ongoing. After grounding the suit in the Reflecting Pool’s historical contexts and a brief timeline of the administration’s renovation plans, this article concentrates on the Plaintiffs’ Emergency Motion filed May 11, 2026 and the Defendants’ Memorandum filed May 18, 2026, concluding with brief updates on the first hearing and post-reopening issues.

History of the Reflecting Pool

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is positioned on a cross-axis of the National Mall, a two mile tree-lined strip stretching from the Capitol Building to the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The cross-axis was envisioned in 1791 by city planner Pierre Charles L’Enfant, who set out to transform the new capital’s rural landscape into an egalitarian network of wide avenues, squares, and a central “public walk.”^{^[2]} The walk took its recognizable form over centuries after its genesis. In 1902, following an unsuccessful post-Civil War attempt at constructing a memorial to Lincoln, the Senate Park Commission proposed placing a new Lincoln Memorial at the west end of the National Mall with a pool; a new bridge would be built between the memorial and Arlington National Cemetery to symbolically link the former Union and Confederate regions.^{^[3]} Congress debated the proposal for years, creating the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) in 1910 and a specific Lincoln Memorial Commission in 1911.^{^[4]} The pool was completed shortly after the memorial’s dedication in 1922.^{^[5]}

Measuring 2,030 by 167 feet, the Reflecting Pool is bookended by the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, modeled after the Parthenon to commemorate Lincoln’s reputed democratic ideals through architectural references to the birthplace of democracy. Until the Trump administration’s renovations, the basin was painted dark gray, giving the surface of the shallow water a sense of depth and a calm, mirror-like quality (fig. 1). The pool quickly became a recognizable feature of the national landscape, present in the backdrop of historic inaugurations, rallies, and events including Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech and Marian Anderson’s performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

In 2010, the National Park Service (NPS) commissioned the design firm Sasaki to renovate the Reflecting Pool to meet contemporary needs.^{^[6]} Seeking to preserve the Mall’s historic characteristics, Sasaki sourced granite from the same quarry used for the Lincoln Memorial. New paths, benches, and security barriers were installed to accommodate high volumes of visitors. The firm also eliminated the use of potable water, reducing annual potable water usage by 21-26 million gallons. The project was completed in 2012. Despite the improvements, however, the pool continued to face challenges including algae blooms, leaks, and broken pipes.^{^[7]}

The Renovation Timeline (Leading Up to the Lawsuit)

On April 9, 2026, Trump posted a statement to Truth Social announcing the U.S. Department of the Interior’s renovations to the Reflecting Pool.^{^[8]} In an April 23rd press briefing, Trump spoke tangentially about the project underway, remarking that he decided to renovate the pool after a “friend from Germany” commented on its disrepair.^{^[9]} He claimed that he was initially informed that repairs would cost $301 million and take three and a half years,^{^[10]} but that one contracting company, which he did not name, had given him an estimate of $1.5 million total and one week (which would ensure a fully renovated pool in time for the country’s much-anticipated 250th anniversary).^{^[11]} Apparently, the contractor easily convinced him to switch from his originally envisioned turquoise (“like in the Bahamas”) to the American flag blue (fig. 2).^{^[12]}

Image teasing the proposed “American Flag Blue” pool, posted to Truth Social on May 1, 2026 by Trump. (Image: Donald J. Trump via TruthSocial)

As the work continued past its projected duration, costs ballooned. Government records show that a $6.9 million no-bid contract was awarded on April 3, 2026 to the Virginia-based company Atlantic Shore Coatings, which had no prior history of federal contracts;^{^[13]} another no-bid contract was awarded to Green Water Solutions, led by a Trump donor, for $1.74 million on April 13, 2026.^{^[14]} By May 11, the expected cost had increased to $13.1 million.^{^[15]} Neither Trump nor the Interior Department publicly divulged their reason for awarding no-bid contracts—reportedly, the administration invoked an exemption meant for emergencies.^{^[16]}

The Lawsuit

On May 11, 2026, The Cultural Landscape Foundation filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior claiming that the department bypassed standard review procedures set in place by multiple federal laws, requesting a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on the Reflecting Pool renovations. A nonprofit dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage sites, TCLF is represented by the Washington Litigation Group (WLG), a boutique firm established in 2025 to provide legal services to those unlawfully targeted for exercising their rights.

TCLF argues that the resurfacing project requires a standard review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966.^{^[17]} The NHPA requires federal agencies to consult with the public, experts, and interested organizations before funding and enacting changes to historic property, defined as any “prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included on, or eligible for inclusion on, the National Register,”^{^[18]} in which the Reflecting Pool is included.^{^[19]}

The pool has frequently undergone reviews; ahead of the 2010 rebuilding, the Interior Department under the Obama administration sought approval from the CFA, which has regularly reviewed design elements of the pool since its establishment.^{^[20]} The preservation act allows exclusions—under the 2008 Nationwide Programmatic Agreement (PA), certain undertakings do not need further consultation, including “[r]epainting in the same color as existing, or in similar colors or historic colors” based on approved reports or color analyses.”^{^[21]}

TCLF claims that the PA does not apply to the Trump administration’s proposal, since the blue coating stands to significantly alter the defining reflective character of the Pool, to which the gray color is fundamental. Citing architect James Garland, who has previously worked on projects on the National Mall, they note that dark, colorless hues are the standard for reflecting pool basins because they most effectively absorb the light passing through water, maximizing surface reflectivity.^{^[22]} Gray appropriately does not demand attention but “[produces] the authentic, serene reflective quality appropriate to a civic memorial landscape.”^{^[23]} To change the gray to blue would be to make an aesthetic change allegedly incompatible with the Reflecting Pool’s original purpose as a mirror, ridding the National Mall of its “seamless, luminous plane” that has characterized it for over a century.^{^[24]}

The foundation also alleges that the Interior Department acted in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires agencies to assess the environmental consequences of their proposed undertakings; unlike in 2010, the department did not complete a mandatory Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement.^{^[25]} They warn that the unreviewed overhaul of an enormous water feature in the heart of the capital’s highly trafficked park system has significant potential consequences for the site’s water quality, ecology, and the experiences of millions of visitors.^{^[26]}

TCLF identifies multiple irrevocable harms to the public. They stress the loss of a profound memorial experience essentially consistent throughout recent American history, specifically naming TCLF director Charles Birnbaum’s enjoyment of the Reflecting Pool site as a respite from his work. If not halted, they argue, the repainting will degrade the memorial’s dignity, ruining the visiting experience for Birnbaum and millions of others who value its current landscape.^{^[27]}

They also allege an irrevocable deprivation of their ability as relevant experts to participate in NHPA and NEPA processes.^{^[28]} This inability stands to harm their mission as a foundation to protect the “sacred cultural landscape.”^{^[29]} Broadly, they allege that the renovations void the public’s participation rights in deliberations on altering the memorial—and, they state, it is in the public interest to require the government to follow legal procedures.^{^[30]}

Considering harms to the Defendants, TCLF claims that an injunction would only cause the Interior Department a temporary delay while the project goes through review procedures—a trivial harm without meaningful financial risk.^{^[31]} They conclude,

It has unfortunately grown increasingly common for the federal government to plow ahead with alterations to our nation’s most sacred spaces without following the law. This is not normal. And it is not ok. Plaintiffs respectfully urge the Court to intervene to protect one of the most visible emblems of America’s shared heritage at the heart of our capital.^{^[32]}

The Defendant’s Memorandum

According to the Interior Department’s memorandum filed May 18, 2026, the NPS approved the renovations in March of 2026, allegedly undertaken primarily to address the Reflecting Pool’s leakage and water quality issues.^{^[33]} According to their declaration, the NPS found that the renovations were routine maintenance and thus excluded from federal review under the PA; moreover, they consulted with a historic landscape architect from the National Capital Regional Office and determined the renovations would not adversely affect the pool. Similarly, they determined that a categorical exclusion to a NEPA review applied because the renovations were routine repairs to an existing feature without adverse effects.^{^[34]}

Defendants note that, contrary to the Plaintiffs’ exaggerated claims of a vivid swimming pool blue, the blue-colored lining would be dark and low in chroma, maintaining the signature reflectivity of the pool.^{^[35]} Moreover, they suggest that TCLF has a fatal irreparable-harm problem: the pool’s color could later be reversed with additional coating if it is found to be in violation of federal law.^{^[36]} They deem Birnbaum’s claim of aesthetic injury insufficient, claiming that his concerns are too hypothetical and are based on inaccurate facts.^{^[37]}

They also argue that TCLF did not suffer an Article III injury, providing that, while the foundation could have requested consulting status, as they previously have, it was technically never guaranteed. Without having sufficiently proven a personal stake in the dispute, they failed to show how the Interior Department’s renovations would directly affect their operations.^{^[38]} Like the foundation, Defendants maintained that the public did have an interest—not an interest in preserving the gray pool lining, however, but an interest in expedited completion of the repairs. The injunction would “require that the Reflecting Pool be empty, dry, and half-finished through the upcoming celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—a significant aesthetic harm to the public.”^{^[39]}

The First Hearing and Post-Refilling Controversies

The first hearing was held on May 21st in Washington. Judge Carl J. Nichols, a Trump appointee, appeared reluctant to issue an injunction, questioning TCLF’s claims that the renovations will cause irreversible harms.^{^[40]} He posed hypothetical compromises to both sides, asking if it would be possible to undo the renovations should he find the project unlawful. He asked Joseph Mead, the lawyer representing TCLF, if the administration could skip consultations if the result would “[look] really close to how it was before.”^{^[41]} Mead stated that Trump himself described the project as a significant change, and that the judge should take the president at his word. The court failed to reach a decision before the renovations were completed on June 3rd, the administration notified the court that the Reflecting Pool had been resurfaced (figs. 3-4).^{^[42]} The project had come out to over $16 million.^{^[43]}

Resurfacing progress photo showing blue surface color. (Image: G. Edward Johnson, May 15, 2026, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

The resurfaced and partially refilled Reflecting Pool. (Image: G. Edward Johnson, Jun. 8, 2026, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

The pool’s new look was shortlived. Within two weeks, the water had begun to turn green from algae growth and the blue surface had begun to peel (fig. 5).^{^[44]} The President took to Truth Social on June 20th to blame the issues on vandalism, claiming that the pool coating had been slashed and that corrosive chemicals had been poured into the water.^{^[45]} Multiple people have reportedly been arrested and cited, including three-time U.S. Olympian David Hearn, who was handcuffed and detained for five hours and faces a misdemeanor charge. He maintains that he merely picked up a piece of dislodged pool coating and that he did not attempt to remove it himself; “[it’s] pretty clear that somebody high up decided to make an example of me,” he stated.^{^[46]} No public records have been produced to verify the precise number of those arrested or cited—Timothy Lauer, spokesperson for the United States Attorney’s Office in Washington, told the New York Times that no public docket would be available until court appearances.^{^[47]}

Workers cleaning algae from the Reflecting Pool on June 17. (Image: G. Edward Johnson, Jun. 17, 2026, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

Ultimately, the Reflecting Pool saga is far from over. With pending court appearances for vandalism charges and continued filings in the lawsuit, legal proceedings show no signs of slowing down. Consult the Cultural Landscape Foundation v. U.S. Department of the Interior docket for continued updates.

About the Author

Cara Ianuale is a recent graduate of Brown University, where she earned degrees in the History of Art & Architecture and English. Her senior thesis in art history explores how artist Sherrie Levine’s solo exhibition of rephotographed images challenges the foundations of copyright. She is broadly interested in the intersection of art and intellectual property, and intends to study law in New York.

Select References

Executive Order 14344 of August 28, 2025 “Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again” designated classical architecture as the “preferred and default” style for federal buildings. It is worth noting that, effecting an increasingly homogenized landscape purportedly built on the revitalization and visual expression of ancient civic values, the order is reminiscent of Mussolini’s and Hitler’s nationalistic adoptions of (neo)classical architecture. ↑
Kenneth R. Fletcher, “A Brief History of Pierre L’Enfant and Washington, D.C.” Smithsonian Magazine (Apr. 30, 2008), https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/a-brief-history-of-pierre-lenfant-and-washington-dc-39487784/, accessed Jun. 23, 2026. ↑
“The Making of the Lincoln Memorial,” National Park Service (n.d.; last upd. May 27, 2026), https://www.nps.gov/linc/learn/historyculture/the-making-of-the-lincoln-memorial.htm, accessed Jun. 23, 2026. ↑
Id. ↑
Id. ↑
“Lincoln Memorial Landscape and Reflecting Pool,” Sasaki (n.d.), https://www.sasaki.com/projects/lincoln-memorial-landscape-and-reflecting-pool/, accessed Jun. 23, 2026. ↑
Rachel Treisman, “After D.C.’s Reflecting Pool gets repainted, visitors ask: What changed?” NPR (Jun. 5, 2026 at 17:12 ET), https://www.npr.org/2026/06/05/nx-s1-5847818/reflecting-pool-repaint-refill, accessed Jun. 23, 2026. ↑
Rachel Treisman, “Trump’s ‘American flag blue’ reflecting pool project gets a mixed reaction in D.C.” NPR (Apr. 28, 2026 at 17:04 ET), https://www.npr.org/2026/04/28/nx-s1-5802343/reflecting-pool-resurfacing-blue-trump, accessed Jun. 23, 2026. ↑
Forbes Breaking News, “Trump Goes On Ten-Minute Rant About Plan For Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ‘Beautification,’” Youtube (Apr. 23, 2026), 1:23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Fn5fxW55s. ↑
Id, 2:42. ↑
Id., 3:52, 5:50. ↑
Id., 6:09. ↑
Luke Broadwater and David A. Fahrenthold, “The No-Bid Contract That Is Turning Washington’s Reflecting Pool Blue,” New York Times (May 8, 2026; upd. May 11, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/us/politics/reflecting-pool-trump-contract.html, accessed Jun. 23, 2026. ↑
“Contract Summary: Green Water Solutions, LLC” (Award ID: 140P2026C0031), USASpending, https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_140P2026C0031_1443_-NONE-_-NONE-, accessed Jun. 28, 2026. ↑
Luke Broadwater and David A. Fahrenthold, “Reflecting Pool Repairs to Cost $13.1 Million. Trump Had Promised $1.8 Million,” New York Times (May 11, 2026),https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/us/politics/reflecting-pool-paint-contract-trump.html?smid=url-share, accessed Jun. 23, 2026. ↑
Id. ↑
Plaintiffs’ Emergency Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and/or Stay of Agency Action, Cultural Landscape Foundation v. U.S. Department of the Interior, 1:26-cv-01593, 20 (D.D.C. May 11, 2026) ECF No. 2. ↑
National Historic Preservation Act, 54 U.S.C. § 300308. ↑
National Register of Historic Places, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., 66000030. ↑
Plaintiffs’ Emergency Motion, 13. ↑
Nationwide Programmatic Agreement § 106, 54 U.S.C. 300308 at 12. ↑
Plaintiffs’ Emergency Motion, 10. ↑
Id. ↑
Id., 8. ↑
Id., 14. ↑
Id., 23-24. ↑
Id., 25. ↑
Id., 29. ↑
Id., 28. ↑
Id., 29. ↑
Id., 29. ↑
Id., 31. ↑
Defendants’ Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Emergency Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and/or Stay of Agency Action, Cultural Landscape Foundation v. U.S. Department of the Interior, 1:26-cv-01593, 13 (D.D.C. May 18, 2026) ECF No. 12. ↑
Id., 14. ↑
Plaintiffs’ Emergency Motion, 26. ↑
Defendants’ Memorandum, 10. ↑
Id., 23. ↑
Id., 24. ↑
Id., 40. ↑
David A. Fahrenthold and Zach Montague, “Judge Appears Hesitant to Order Work Stopped on Reflecting Pool,” New York Times (May 21, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/us/politics/reflecting-pool-lawsuit-trump.html, accessed Jun. 27, 2026. ↑
Fahrenthold and Montague, “Judge Appears Hesitant to Order Work Stopped on Reflecting Pool.” ↑
Notice, Cultural Landscape Foundation v. U.S. Department of the Interior, 1:26-cv-01593, (D.D.C. Jun. 03, 2026) ECF No. 18. ↑
Miranda Jeyaretnam, “Trump Admin Blames and Arrests Alleged Vandals for Reflecting Pool Problems,” TIME (Jun. 22, 2026 at 7:00 ET; upd. Jun 24, 2026 at 3:45 ET), https://time.com/article/2026/06/22/lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-vandalism-algae-paint-trump-admin/, accessed Jun. 27, 2026. ↑
Id. ↑
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump), Truth Social (Jun. 20, 2026 at 18:36 ET), https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116785296448420208. ↑
Jeyaretnam, “Trump Admin Blames and Arrests Alleged Vandals for Reflecting Pool Problems.” ↑
Clarence Williams, “Prosecutors in Washington Say Citations Have Been Issued at Reflecting Pool,” New York Times (Jun. 26, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/26/us/politics/reflecting-pool-trump-arrests.html, accessed Jun. 27, 2026. ↑

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not meant to provide legal advice. Readers should not construe or rely on any comment or statement in this article as legal advice. For legal advice, readers should seek a consultation with an attorney.