SUMMARY
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is set to undergo more repairs, just days ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. That’s according to Trump, who has repeatedly claimed without evidence that vandals caused the algae blooms and peeling paint that have plagued the pool since its renovation.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about? You can also make a Google doc copy of these general discussion questions.
News alternative: Check our recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching and see the Google doc above for discussion questions.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What problems developed at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after its renovation?
- When are the new repairs to the Reflecting Pool expected to begin?
- Where is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool located?
- Why has the Reflecting Pool become a source of political controversy?
- How much money has been spent on the renovation project?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- What information would you need to evaluate the competing claims presented in the report?
- Why might taxpayers be concerned about the cost and management of public projects?
Media literacy: The video includes statements from government officials, legal experts and technical experts. Which sources do you find most credible for determining the cause of the damage, and why? What additional evidence would you want to see before reaching a conclusion?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Imagine you are a reporter covering this story. Write at least two interview questions for the following individuals:
- A government official
- A construction expert
- A taxpayer or visitor to the memorial
In groups, compare questions and discuss how each person's perspective could help the public better understand the issue.
NEWS: THEN & NOW
The News: Then & Now section of the Daily News Lessons allows students to see connections between current and past news events. The activity provides historical context using primary sources from the Library of Congress.
See PBS News Hour Classroom's Journalism in Action website for interactive examples of how journalists covered key events in U.S. history while honing your primary source, civics and digital news literacy skills.
THEN
The Lincoln Memorial and its Reflecting Pool were built by American architect Henry Bacon. While plans to commemorate Lincoln began soon after his assassination, with Congress creating the Lincoln Monument Association in 1867, Bacon officially received the commission for the Lincoln Memorial in 1911, and his design was accepted in 1912. See below for an image of Henry Bacon's winning proposal c. 1912 (Source: National Archives).
Construction for the memorial officially began on February 12, 1914. Its location at the edge of the Potomac River was chosen as a site of national unity, intending to connect the memorial to Arlington National Cemetery. See below for an image of construction on the marshland c. 1917 (Source: Library of Congress).
The memorial itself was completed and unveiled in 1922, while the reflecting pool was opened a year later. On the left, take a look at the May 29, 1922 issue of the Evening Star announcing the program for the Lincoln Memorial Dedication to take place on Memorial Day (May 30) 1922 (Source: Library of Congress). On the right, take a look at the photo of President Warren G. Harding addressing the crowd at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial (Source: National Park Service). You can see more photos from the dedication at the National Park Service or check out a video of the Lincoln Memorial Dedication from the National Archives.
In the over one hundred years since its construction, the Lincoln Memorial and its reflecting Pool have stood as symbols of national pride and sites of historic change. One such prominent example is the 1963 March on Washington, during which Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech.
Source: Library of Congress
NOW
In 2026, the Trump administration ordered renovations to the Reflecting Pool, claiming, without evidence, that vandals used a knife to cut a 300-foot slit in the Pool's bottom and dumped "fertilizer in the water" to produce algae. Many experts, however, have serious doubts about these claims, citing that algae growth is naturally occurring. In fact, cleaning the Pool has been an ongoing problem since its construction, with two cleanings reported in 1978 removing 10-15 truckloads of debris each, and only weeks after the completion of the Pool's renovation during the Obama administration, it was once again covered in algae.
- Take a look at the article by PBS News Hour’s Maria Ramirez Uribe, Was the Reflecting Pool vandalized? Experts cast doubt on Trump's claims | PBS News, for more details.
Discussion questions:
- What purpose do monuments serve and why might millions of dollars be dedicated to their preservation? In your opinion, is it worth it? Why or why not?
