A nonprofit sues to halt Trump’s ‘American flag blue’ repaint of the Reflecting Pool

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Workers apply a blue protective coating as part of a renovation project to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Friday, May 8, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Read More President Donald Trump talks as he visits the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to see the new blue protective coating being applied as part of a renovation project, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) 2 of 5 |

President Donald Trump talks as he visits the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to see the new blue protective coating being applied as part of a renovation project, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Read More The motorcade with President Donald Trump drives in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as he arrives to to see the new blue protective coating being applied as part of a renovation project, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) 3 of 5 |

The motorcade with President Donald Trump drives in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as he arrives to to see the new blue protective coating being applied as part of a renovation project, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Read More President Donald Trump speaks as he visits the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to see the new blue protective coating being applied as part of a renovation project, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) 5 of 5 |

President Donald Trump speaks as he visits the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to see the new blue protective coating being applied as part of a renovation project, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Read More A nonprofit sues to halt Trump’s ‘American flag blue’ repaint of the Reflecting Pool Workers apply a blue protective coating as part of a renovation project to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Friday, May 8, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) 1 of 5 |

Workers apply a blue protective coating as part of a renovation project to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Friday, May 8, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

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Read More By STEVEN SLOAN Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A Washington-based nonprofit is asking a judge to force the Trump administration to stop work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and restore historic elements at one of the most iconic spots on the National Mall.

In a lawsuit filed Monday, The Cultural Landscape Foundation said the administration’s moves to repaint the bottom of the Reflecting Pool blue without undergoing relevant reviews ran afoul to federal preservation laws governing historic sites. The group argued that the changes at the Reflecting Pool are part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to push through dramatic renovations in Washington without proper reviews and undermine the tone of the area.

“The design intent, to create a reflective surface that is subordinate, is fundamental to the solemn and hallowed visual and spatial connection between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial,” said Charles A. Birnbaum, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “A blue-tinted basin is more appropriate to a resort or theme park.”

Trump has taken a personal interest in the project, calling the area “filthy” before workers repainted the Reflecting Pool a color he has called “American flag blue.” His motorcade was driven over a drained and repainted Reflecting Pool last week to give him a chance for a firsthand review of the project.

Speaking at a Rose Garden event Monday evening, Trump said the pool would be reopened “sometime next week, week after.” He did not mention the lawsuit in his remarks but said the end result would be beautiful and rebuffed criticism that it was just a new paint job. “This is not paint,” he said. “This is highly sophisticated stuff.”

The suit was filed against the Interior Department and the National Park Service, which oversee much of the renovations underway in Washington. Katie Martin, an Interior Department spokeswoman, said in a statement that Trump “has done more to make our nation’s capital a shining beacon than any other president in the history of this country.”

“The Department is proud of the work being carried out by our Park Service to ensure this magical spot can be enjoyed for not only our 250th, but for many generations to come,” she said.

Over the past year, Trump has bulldozed the East Wing to make way for a ballroom. His name was added to the facades of the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Kennedy Center, which he plans to close for a two-year renovation. His face adorns a banner at the Department of Justice’s headquarters, among others. He is pushing for a triumphal arch near Arlington Cemetery and has closed parks, including Lafayette Square across from the White House, for a rehab.

Many of those projects are also subject to litigation.

STEVEN SLOAN

Sloan is the Washington correspondent at The Associated Press. He managed the AP’s coverage of the 2026 and 2026 presidential campaigns. twitter

A nonprofit sues to halt Trump’s ‘American flag blue’ repaint of the Reflecting Pool

A nonprofit sues to halt Trump’s ‘American flag blue’ repaint of the Reflecting Pool

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