Kenneth Glad
The renovation was meant to restore a famous public space before a national celebration. Instead, it has raised questions about wildlife, public money and responsibility.
The showcase project at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has created a public-relations problem for Donald Trump’s administration, with green water, dead ducks and loose blue coating drawing attention before the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
The pool is more than a decorative feature on the National Mall. It sits between two of the country’s best-known monuments and often serves as a backdrop for American history, protest and ceremony. That is why its condition before July 4 matters beyond routine maintenance.
TV 2 Denmark writes that City Wildlife, a Washington, D.C., animal welfare group, has confirmed that at least three dead ducks had been found near the pool since June 19. Bird specialists also described a steep decline in the local duck population.
Damage, ducks and unanswered questions
Officials are looking at possible explanations, including algae, bacteria and hydrogen peroxide used by park staff to fight the bloom. No final public conclusion has established what killed the birds or damaged the surface.
Months earlier, Trump had promoted the renovation after posting footage of dirty water, algae and a duckling.
In April, Trump promoted the renovation by presenting the reflecting pool as a project already being completed with help from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
The work went to Greenwater Services, owned by John Cafaro, described by TV 2 as Trump’s Florida neighbor. Federal election records show Cafaro donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump, including $250,000 in 2020 and $100,000 in 2024.
Cafaro was fined and received a suspended sentence in 2001 in a bribery case. The Interior Department said the company was chosen because it had “the expertise, workforce and materials,” and said Trump was not involved in awarding the job.
The vandalism explanation remains contested
Trump has blamed vandalism for the torn surface. “We have had vandalism. We have a 290 to 300 foot cut straight through. It was probably a box cutter or some kind of knife,” he said.
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That explanation has not settled the matter. According to the Danish broadcaster, reporters were still seeking documentation from park authorities to support the sabotage claim.
One of the people arrested was David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist. He told The Washington Post that he had not tried to vandalize the pool, saying he only touched a loose piece of the blue surface material before being detained.
“I did not damage anything or peel anything off. When I realized what was happening, I was put in handcuffs,” Hearn said.
Fox News later aired footage of people near the water, but host Jesse Watters cautioned: “We have not been able to verify the videos, but look at this.”
Park officials may need to drain the pool to repair the damaged bottom. Until then, a project meant to create a polished anniversary backdrop has instead become a dispute over competence, accountability and public trust.
Sources: TV 2 Denmark, The Washington Post, Fox News.
