Burgum defends Reflecting Pool costs as a small number
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told ABC News on Sunday that additional repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will cost taxpayers "a small number" beyond the Trump administration reflecting pool renovation that has already topped $16 million. He called the troubled project a "big success" despite peeling liner, algae issues, and unanswered questions about alleged vandalism.
Key Takeaways
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said remaining liner repairs from alleged vandalism will be a "small number" after a renovation that has cost more than $16 million.
- Burgum told ABC's George Stephanopoulos the Reflecting Pool no longer leaks 45,000 gallons daily and called the project a "big success" before July Fourth's 250th anniversary celebrations.
- President Trump and Burgum say vandals cut multiple gashes totaling 350 feet, but Stephanopoulos pressed Burgum for proof the administration has not publicly shown.
- On CNN, Burgum said algae in the pool was temporary and came from refill pipes — diverging from Trump's claims that criminals caused the green water.
- More cameras have been installed at the Reflecting Pool, and Burgum said video and eyewitness evidence is now with the courts.
What did Doug Burgum say about Reflecting Pool repair costs?
On Sunday's "This Week," Burgum defended the renovation he oversees ahead of the nation's 250th birthday weekend. Work began in April under a no-bid contract that originally ran about $4 million over budget, with total costs now exceeding $16 million, according to ABC News.
Burgum told anchor George Stephanopoulos the pool stopped leaking 45,000 gallons a day. He said less than one-tenth of 1% of the new industrial liner was damaged, and that remaining fixes tied to vandalism should be cheap because most spending went to labor, liner materials, and a new nanobubbler algae system.
"I think it's going to be a small number," Burgum said. "So the Reflecting Pool has been a big success."
Why is the Trump administration reflecting pool renovation under scrutiny?
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool reopened in early June after more than two months of work, but images of peeling blue coating and murky green water quickly drew criticism. The Trump administration prioritized the project for Independence Day festivities, yet the basin may need to be at least partially drained again for additional repairs in coming weeks.
The price tag has become a flashpoint. Burgum argued the renovation cost a "fraction" of past projects, but watchdogs and Democrats have questioned whether taxpayers are paying twice for a troubled result. For more coverage of odd political stories, see our Bizarre News & Florida Man section.
What evidence supports the 350-foot vandalism claim?
President Trump has repeatedly said vandals slashed the pool liner with a knife or box-cutter, leaving damage he has described as a 350-foot gash. Burgum told Stephanopoulos it was "multiple gashes that add up to 350 feet across that."
When Stephanopoulos asked for specific evidence backing the claim echoed in a department legal filing, Burgum pointed to measured cuts in the liner but did not release video on air. He said the administration has video and eyewitness reports and that the matter is now before the courts, according to Yahoo News. Additional cameras have since been installed around the pool.
Did a top Trump aide contradict the president on algae?
While Burgum aligned with Trump on vandalism, he offered a different explanation for the algae that clouded the pool after refilling. Trump linked the blooms to criminal sabotage, and a Truth Social post blaming "criminally made algae" remained online, The Independent reported.
On CNN's "State of the Union," Burgum said, "The algae is all gone. That was a momentary thing. As it was being filled, there was algae in the pipes." He credited new nanobubbler technology for clearing the water and denied that official vehicles driving on the fresh surface caused the peeling liner.