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Trump's Reflecting Pool liner failed in 85 places because workers painted it the day before refilling, report finds

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, whose $20m blue coating buckled in at least 85 places after workers applied it just 24 hours before refilling — far short of the required 72-hour curing period.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, whose $20m blue coating buckled in at least 85 places after workers applied it just 24 hours before refilling — far short of the required 72-hour curing period.

A contractor's own 75-page "failure analysis" reveals that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's blue coating buckled, blistered and peeled in at least 85 locations — directly undermining Trump administration claims that vandals caused the damage. Workers were still applying the coating just 24 hours before the pool was filled on June 4, despite the material requiring a full 72-hour curing period. The document attributes the failure to pressure to complete the project by July 4, America's 250th anniversary, a deadline Trump had insisted upon.

Trump initially promised the renovation could be done for $1.5m; taxpayers have since been billed nearly $20m.

The no-bid contract went to Virginia firm Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which had no apparent prior federal contract history.

The administration's spokesperson still cited Trump's vandalism claims even after the contractor's own report made no mention of sabotage.

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