{"success":true,"data":{"id":"8eb860fc-dfa7-47cb-9fcc-1df32c77efd2","title":"Trump’s Reflecting Pool is being drained again as troubled revamp drags on","summary":"Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Not now Yes please US Edition Change Support Now × \"Clear search box\") Custom Search Sort by Relevance Date NewsNews World CupWorld Cup SportsSports CultureCulture LifestyleLifestyle MoneyMon...","content":"## Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent\n\nNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.\n\nNot now Yes please\n\nUS Edition Change\n\nSupport Now\n\n[×](javascript:void(0) \"Clear search box\")\n\nCustom Search\n\nSort by\n\nRelevance\n\nDate\n\n*   News[News](https://www.independent.co.uk/us)\n\n*   World Cup[World Cup](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup)\n\n*   Sports[Sports](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport)\n\n*   Culture[Culture](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment)\n\n*   Lifestyle[Lifestyle](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style)\n\n*   Money[Money](https://www.independent.co.uk/us/money)\n\n*   Travel[Travel](https://www.independent.co.uk/us/travel)\n\n*   Premium[Premium](https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium)\n\nMore\n\nMore\n\n### Thank you for registering\n\nPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in\n\n# Trump’s Reflecting Pool is being drained again as troubled revamp drags on\n\n## A Trump official said the latest work on the pool will also remove debris from an extensive Independence Day fireworks display over the National Mall\n\n[Will Weissert](https://www.independent.co.uk/author/will-weissert)Friday 10 July 2026 21:19 BST\n\n*   Copy link  \n*   Bookmark  \n\n## Bookmark popover\n\nRemoved from bookmarks\n\nClose popover\n\nClose\n\nPowered By\n\n10 Sec\n\n15.3K\n\n0\n\nTrump official clashes with CNN anchor over Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ‘vandalism’ claims\n\nNext video in\n\nNext\n\nKEEP WATCHING\n\n### Your support helps us to tell the story\n\nFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.\n\nAt such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.\n\nThe Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.\n\n**Your support makes all the difference.**\n\nCrews are once again draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as President Donald Trump’s ambitious efforts to revamp the iconic waterway [continue to face setbacks](https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/trump-lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-video-b3001316.html), pushing completion well past his initial July 4 deadline for the nation’s 250th birthday.\n\nTrump had initially suggested [his renovations](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-reflecting-pool-lincoln-memorial-algae-cracks-b3009962.html) would endure for a century. However, within weeks of the project’s initial completion last month, the pool was plagued by an algae bloom, and sections of the new coating began peeling from the bottom. While Trump has attributed the peeling to vandals, critics contend [it is a result of substandard repair work](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-doug-burgum-trump-b3009294.html).\n\nInterior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose agency oversees the National Park Service, confirmed in a recent interview with conservative podcaster Katie Miller that the pond would be drained again. He also suggested that debris from an extensive Independence Day fireworks display over the National Mall might be present in the water.\n\n\"Drain the water, clean up the fireworks stuff,\" Burgum told Miller, wife of deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller. \"Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again.\"\n\nopen image in gallery\n\nNational Park Service workers stand near a pump next to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Friday, July 10, 2026(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)\n\nThe Reflecting Pool project is one of several initiatives Trump has spearheaded across the capital. Notably, he oversaw the demolition of the White House’s East Wing to construct a $400 million ballroom and has plans for a towering arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.","source_name":"The Independent","source_url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-drained-again-trump-b3012937.html","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-drained-again-trump-b3012937.html","author":"Will Weissert","author_name":"Will Weissert","published_at":"2026-07-10T20:19:19.000Z","publication_date":"2026-07-10T20:19:19.000Z","image_url":"https://pl.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?hash=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&stnaInterval=0","category":"politics","topic":"politics","tags":[],"political_bias":null,"bias_score":null,"confidence_score":null,"credibility_score":null,"factual_quality":null,"reading_time":3,"word_count":581,"view_count":0,"breaking":false,"breaking_news":false,"ai_analysis":null,"fact_check_status":"unverified","archive_status":"hot"}}