One of Donald Trump’s most cherished renovation projects in Washington, D.C. appears to be a complete failure, as multiple images of the reflecting pool in front of the Washington Monument show that what could well be paint used in the refurbishment is now peeling off the bottom of the pool.
Womp womp!
Photos shared on social media suggest something is indeed floating in the pool other than algae, which appeared weeks ago and is being combatted with massive infusions of hydrogen peroxide.
However, there’s one little problem with hydrogen peroxide: It tends to be rough on whatever it’s applied to.
Here’s a sampling of the photos, which seem to show peeling paint, along with commentary from those who shared them:
Multiple videos on TikTok show the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's freshly applied blue paint is now peeling off in chunks and floating atop the water
— Mike Rundle (@flyosity) June 18, 2026
I'm not a paint expert but seems bad? pic.twitter.com/GZ7xrepC9m
Holy shit!! There are huge chunks of blue paint coming off the reflecting pool already…
— ᗰᗩƳᖇᗩ (@LePapillonBlu2) June 18, 2026
It seems the peroxide loosened things up, yikes!!
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE. pic.twitter.com/vqnlOBlhxF
Paint is already peeling off the bottom of the pool. Might be from the thousands of gallons of Hydrogen Peroxide they had to pour in the pool to stop the Algae. The Algae growths that we all knew would come back, because science.
— Caleb Fallow (@FallowForward) June 18, 2026
Ur daddy just wanted it to look nice on his bday pic.twitter.com/GJUElndcxI
It appears the peroxide that Trump put in the reflecting pool to kill the algae has lifted the $14B blue paint job.
— Marlene Robertson🇨🇦 (@marlene4719) June 18, 2026
As usual, Obama will have the last laugh pic.twitter.com/JfOsh5wyO6
Looks like the blue paint/sealant/liner whatever the hell was painted on the bottom of the reflecting pool is coming off.
— Olivia Renee 🇺🇸 (Autism Mom) (@rnautismmom) June 18, 2026
Could it be the hydrogen peroxide?
Bad paint job?
Both?
A little RN fyi about hydrogen peroxide.
It is used for skin debridement. We are actually…
OMG, the incompetence of this administration and Trump’s billionaire buddies he gives government contracts to! In less than 2 weeks, the reflecting pool turned to a green swamp full of algae. Yesterday they were dumping in Hydrogen peroxide, and now the blue paint is peeling! 😡 https://t.co/yBKqCLfkM5 pic.twitter.com/FNpkohd1TV
— Annie (@AnnieForTruth) June 18, 2026
It looks like the Reflecting Pool's paint is already peeling off and floating to the surface.
— Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) June 18, 2026
"It'll last for 50 to 100 years before you have to do anything with it," Trump said of a then-newly "renovated" Reflecting Pool on June 3 in the Oval Office.
Trump wanted to paint the…
This is the sort of epic cock-up I thought only the UK could aspire to.
— OhNoItsAFarren (@JohnFarren15) June 18, 2026
The astounding thing is: it was never supposed to a BLUE pool but a REFLECTING pool.
So you do not want a bright blue coating. pic.twitter.com/8H5NIiWBQ1
Could there possibly be a more fitting metaphor for the Trump administration?