President Donald Trump was scheduled to deliver his closing midterm election appeal Monday afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, bringing fresh scrutiny to a renovation marked by delays, rising costs and faulty work. The White House announced the appearance hours after Trump suggested the location while speaking to reporters Sunday during his arrival in Iowa.
Trump said an event at the pool would “show how beautiful it is.” His decision to remain in Washington on the day before Election Day departed from a month of campaigning that included more than 25 rallies, mostly in conservative areas. Republicans are seeking to retain control of Congress amid Trump’s low approval ratings and polling suggesting that the Iran war, expensive energy and rising living costs could help Democrats. After visiting Iowa, Trump held a Sunday evening rally in Kansas, which he described on social media as “my last stop.”
The pool project began in April, when Trump proposed changing its color and said contractors he knew could complete the repairs in days for about $1.5 million, ahead of Independence Day. Instead, the work finished almost three months late, with costs exceeding 10 times his original estimate. That total could grow if further work becomes necessary.
Trump first announced the renovation was finished in June. Soon after the pool’s unveiling, however, algae spread through the water and sections of its blue liner started peeling away. The pool was emptied again in mid-July so repairs could resume. Trump has repeatedly attributed the damage to vandalism, while the office of U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said poor workmanship caused the problems.
Speaking Sunday, Trump again maintained that the pool “was vandalized badly” and said security cameras had been installed. The Justice Department previously charged former Olympian David Hearn with deliberately damaging it, but dropped the case during the summer after determining he was not responsible. A judge subsequently dismissed it permanently. Trump criticized Pirro, a longtime ally and former Fox News host, over the outcome but did not fire her.
The renovation is among several changes Trump has pursued at the White House and around Washington during his second term, a subject he frequently discussed at campaign rallies. Those projects include gold decorations in the Oval Office, demolition of the East Wing for a large ballroom, conversion of the Rose Garden into a patio and construction of a South Lawn helipad.
Trump also closed the Kennedy Center after unsuccessful efforts to attach his name to it, planned a large arch outside Washington and sought changes to a century-old public golf course. Former President Barack Obama and other Democrats have criticized his attention to construction. Trump has defended the projects, saying renovations help him relax and require little planning time.
