Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) took aim at President Donald Trump on Tuesday over a $13.1 million no-bid contract to fix up the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool — including a fresh coat of blue paint. Schiff accused the president of funneling taxpayer money to a favored contractor, despite Trump's past promises to keep public costs down.
Adam Schiff Says Trump's Reflecting Pool Deal Is Just Another 'Scam'
MarketDash
The California senator calls out a $13.1 million no-bid contract for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, tying it to Trump's past broken promises.
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Schiff Links Pool Deal to Trump's Broken Promises
Schiff posted on X: "A ballroom he promised taxpayers wouldn't pay for. A wall he promised Mexico would. And now a no-bid contract for a favored pool contractor costing taxpayers millions more. Trump's art of the deal is, and always will be, a scam."
The senator tied the reflecting pool project to two of Trump's earlier pledges: that Mexico would foot the bill for the U.S. border wall, and that taxpayers wouldn't be on the hook for a planned White House ballroom.
Reflecting Pool Cost Skyrockets
Schiff was responding to a New York Times report that the cost to repair and repaint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has climbed to $13.1 million — more than seven times Trump's initial $1.8 million estimate. The Interior Department last week tacked on $6.2 million to an existing $6.9 million contract, according to the report.
The work is being handled by Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia firm that landed a no-bid contract in April. The company previously repaired swimming pools at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C., and at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. The government cited an urgent need to move forward, saying any delay would cause "serious injury," per the Times.
The accelerated timeline follows Trump's directive to finish the project before July 4, 2026, when the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.
Lawsuit Challenges Blue Pool Coating
The Cultural Landscape Foundation, a non-profit education and advocacy group, and its founder Charles Birnbaum sued the administration last week. They argue the blue coating is "altering the historic character" of the pool without proper authority. The lawsuit claims federal officials skipped required consultations under the National Historic Preservation Act and didn't meet obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act.
The administration says the project will improve the pool for visitors and cut down on water waste from leaks — estimated at 16 million gallons per year. "You're going to end up with a beautiful, beautiful Reflecting Pool, the way it's supposed to be," Trump said last month, according to CBS News. "Much better than it ever was, actually."
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