
President Donald Trump visited the National Mall on Thursday, driving his motorcade through the drained Reflecting Pool to inspect a restoration project he said is correcting a “disaster” left by the Obama administration.Standing on the pool’s floor, the president touted a $1.8 million overhaul of the landmark, contrasting it with the $38 million spent under former President Barack Obama on a project Trump described as a “construction nightmare” that leaked immediately upon completion.The Reflecting Pool, which stretches more than 2,000 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, is one of the most visited landmarks in the nation’s capital, drawing millions of tourists each year and serving as the backdrop for historic events and presidential ceremonies.Trump was joined by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to review the application of a new, industrial-strength sealant. Trump revealed he personally selected the color for the new surface: “American Flag Blue.”TRUMP WORKING TO CLEAN ‘FILTHY’ LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL, BLAMES BIDEN FOR MAINTENANCE DELAYS”The color was never good because basically it had a gray stone underneath,” the president told reporters. “Now it’s going to have the great color. It’s going to last a long time and you’ll have no leak—guaranteed.”While previous estimates to fix the 2,400-foot-long pool reached as high as $355 million over a multi-year timeline, according to prior National Park Service planning documents, Trump said his team is completing the work in two weeks for a fraction of the cost.The National Park Service previously oversaw a major rehabilitation of the Reflecting Pool…
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