Government to Use Same Company for Reflecting Pool Repairs
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that the government will hire the same company to repair damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as was previously awarded a multimillion-dollar, no-bid contract for painting it. In a discussion on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Burgum emphasized that the company did an excellent job, despite issues of vandalism causing chunks of paint to come loose.
Burgum stated, “We will use the same company because they did a fantastic job.” This decision follows scrutiny over the $13.1 million no-bid contract awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a company with previous work ties to Trump properties. The initial cost was estimated by Trump to be between $1.5 million and $2 million. However, Eddie Wood, owner of Atlantic Industrial Coatings, reported that the project cost increased from $13.1 million to $14.6 million due to additional work required by the National Park Service.
Since the completion of the painting, pieces of the blue paint have detached, and algae have formed in the pool, turning the water bright green. To address the algae, an additional $1.7 million contract was awarded to Green Water Solutions, a firm linked to a major Trump donor.
Peeled paint and algae at the bottom of the Reflecting Pool. Aaron Schwartz / Reuters
Trump attributed the paint peeling to vandalism, a claim made without evidence. Several arrests and citations have occurred following his allegations. U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn faces charges of property destruction after accusations of causing damage exceeding $1,000 to the pool. Hearn has contested the accusations, denying any removal or destruction of the coating. He mentioned to NBC News his arrest occurred after he touched a loose coating piece out of curiosity while biking, resulting in a five-hour detention.
Burgum addressed Hearn’s arrest, stating that while Hearn can share his perspective, the legal system will ultimately determine his culpability. Burgum remarked, “You can be a former governor, you can be a former this, you can be a former that, but just because you were a former something doesn’t exclude you from the law today.”