Cracks emerge in Trump’s Reflecting Pool - hours after he stood in front and told Americans about his great renovation

President Donald Trump's renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is already showing flaws, only hours after he held it up as a finished success. Speaking in front of the landmark on Monday as he made a closing midterm pitch, Trump called the second round of work "a complete job," and said the bottom had been resurfaced in dark blue with the strongest coating available. Washington Post reporters who walked the pool afterward saw spots of cracking or peeling, plus at least 20 places where pale blue streaks interrupted the intended dark shade, according to The Independent.

A Department of the Interior spokesperson told The Independent the pale areas are leftover coating that will fade or be scrubbed away, and described the damage as stray debris and vandalism repairs that will be cleared. The cause remains unclear. Sources told the Post that National Park Service staff had noticed the uneven color days earlier.

The pool's lining first failed after it was refilled in June. An inspection report cited by the Post faulted rushed installation and unsuitable materials.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →