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May 9, 2026
Trump Awards $6.9 Million No-Bid Contract for Reflecting Pool Renovation Amid Controversy
- President Trump awarded a $6.9 million no-bid contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a firm with ties to him, for repainting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- The contract was granted under an exemption for urgent situations, despite the pool's ongoing algae and leakage problems.
- Experts express skepticism that the blue paint will resolve the pool's filtration issues, which have persisted since its construction in 1922.
2 Sources
- Trump gave $6.9M no-bid contract to his ‘pool guy’ to repaint reflection pool under ‘urgent’ exemptionMay 9, 2026 at 4:00 PM · Independent
- No-bid contract to turn DC’s reflecting pool blue goes to firm with ties to TrumpMay 9, 2026 at 4:31 PM · The Guardian