Trump Touts Lincoln Memorial Pool Refurb as Model of Cost Efficiency

"I thought I'd bring up a subject of interest. I do a lot of this as president and try and save money," Trump said, introducing the project tied to the iconic landmark where "Martin Luther King made his great speech".

The President said the reflecting pool, built in 1922 and stretching more than 2,000 feet, had long suffered from structural and maintenance problems. "Right now, it's got no water in it because it was in terrible shape. It was filthy, dirty, and it leaked like a sieve for many years," he said.

Trump said he personally inspected the site with officials, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. "He said, yes, we've had a lot of problems with it. It's not working. It hasn't worked for many years and it's always filthy, dirty," Trump said, recounting the visit.

According to Trump, an initial proposal to restore the pool involved removing and replacing granite at an estimated cost of $300 million and a timeline exceeding three years. "They were going to take the stone out... and replace it... and it was going to cost $300 million. And it was going to take maybe more than three years," he said.

Rejecting that plan, Trump said he turned to contractors with expertise in swimming pool construction. "I said, what we're going to do is I'm going to call all three of these people that have worked for me in the past, doing swimming pools," he said. "Give me a good price."

The revised approach focused on restoring the existing granite structure. "We scrubbed the surface of the existing granite... We then grouted all of the granite, fixed it up, took about two weeks," Trump said. The project also included applying "an industrial-grade swimming pool topping".

Trump highlighted the cost difference as central to the effort. "So it's $1.5 million versus $300 million. It's two weeks versus more than three years," he said. "That's just the way it is."

He also emphasised aesthetic improvements. "It will look far more beautiful, more beautiful than it did in 1922 when they built it," Trump said. The chosen finish, he added, was "American Flag Blue". "It'll last for 40 or 50 years. There'll be no leaks. There'll be no anything. It'll look gorgeous, beautiful."

Trump framed the project as an example of applying private-sector methods in government works. "It's a story on business," he said, arguing that the revised approach delivered better results at significantly lower cost.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is a central feature of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and has hosted major public gatherings, including the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. It remains one of the most visited and recognisable landmarks in the United States.

Large-scale restoration projects at federal monuments typically involve multiple agencies, including the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior, and often require extensive environmental and historical preservation reviews.

- IANS