Interior Department Lifts Reflecting Pool Contract to $13.1 Million, More Than 7 Times Trump's $1.8 Million
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 11
Interior Department Lifts Reflecting Pool Contract to $13.1 Million, More Than 7 Times Trump's $1.8 Million
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 11
$6.2 million was added Friday to the no-bid contract for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, pushing its value to $13.1 million after Trump had said the job would cost $1.8 million.
Interior said the increase covers an accelerated schedule before the July 4, 2026 semiquincentennial—more workers, materials, equipment and longer hours—but records do not explain the sharp jump.
Federal documents show the new total matches, to the dollar, Atlantic Industrial Coatings' mid-April offer, which included a 20% profit margin; Trump said he picked the Virginia firm because it worked on pools at his golf club.
The contract covers sealing leaking joints, waterproofing the pool bottom and painting it "American flag blue," a change now facing a lawsuit from the Cultural Landscape Foundation seeking to stop work on the historic landmark.
Will a $13.1 million paint job solve the pool's chronic leaks, or is it just a cosmetic fix?
With costs now at $13.1M, what justifies a no-bid contract to a firm with no prior federal projects?
Does painting a historic landmark bright blue for a celebration defy preservation laws by altering its intended character?