Reflecting Pool facelift balloons to $16 million amid delays and algae

Trump’s plan to renovate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall—intended as a commemorative facelift—has ballooned from an early $1.5–2 million projection to about $16 million, with more than 60 days of work, algae blooms, and added costs from neutralizing the green growth; a lawsuit challenging the blue color finish underscores scrutiny of the project, which faces ongoing delays and a targeted but uncertain completion date around Independence Day.