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Trump Delivers Final Midterm Message at Restored Reflecting Pool
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In Short: President Donald Trump delivered remarks at the newly restored Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., on Monday afternoon at 2 pm ET, as part of his final voter push before the midterm elections.
President Donald Trump delivered remarks at the newly restored Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., on Monday afternoon at 2 pm ET, as part of his final voter push before the midterm elections. The event was billed as his 'closing message before the Midterms,' with Trump expected to highlight the accomplishments of his administration and congressional Republicans.
Trump, speaking to reporters as he deplaned from Air Force One for a rally in Iowa, said his speaking at the site would 'show how beautiful it is.' He noted that the pool, nonfunctional since 1922 due to leaks, now works well with new security cameras after vandalism issues and repairs for algae and peeling.
The restoration project, which was plagued by problems including algae blooms and peeling paint, was completed nearly three months late. The overall budget expanded to more than ten times Trump’s initial estimate, with the pool reopening to the public after months of closures and controversy surrounding the restoration.
The reflecting pool, which had been nonfunctional since 1922 due to leaks, has now been restored to working order. Trump said, 'It’s finished. It looks beautiful. It hasn’t worked since 1922; it has always leaked terribly, and it works really well now.' Security cameras have since been added to stop vandalism, and the pool was quickly drained anew for repairs in mid-July after algae blooms and peeling of the 'American-flag blue' liner.
The pool reopened on June 9 but was closed after July 4th celebrations due to damage. As part of the restoration, crews applied an industrial-grade swimming pool coating, replacing the original gray stone bottom. Controversy has swirled around the project since it was initiated last summer, with the Cultural Landscape Foundation filing a lawsuit in May against the Department of the Interior, claiming that applying blue paint to the pool basin violated federal law.
The address is expected to serve as Trump’s final campaign message, aiming to help Republicans retain control of Congress. Trump told reporters in Iowa on Sunday he planned to deliver remarks at the Reflecting Pool 'to show how beautiful it is.' The speech will also contain remarks on his efforts to beautify the nation's capital, which includes a renovation of the Reflecting Pool.
The appearance marks an unconventional end to Trump's midterm campaign push, with the president choosing to deliver his closing message in D.C. The Associated Press reports that a source familiar with the plans said Trump's speech is expected to focus on the agenda he and Republican lawmakers have advanced since the beginning of his second term.
Background
President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks at the newly restored Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., on Monday afternoon at 2 pm ET, as part of his final voter push before the midterm elections.
What's confirmed
- The reflecting pool, which had been nonfunctional since 1922 due to leaks, has now been restored to working order, with Trump having said “It’s finished. It looks beautiful. It hasn’t worked since 1922; it has always leaked terribly, and it works really well now,” with the president having said that security cameras have since been added to stop vandalism, with the pool having been quickly drained anew for repairs in mid-July after algae blooms and peeling of the “American-flag blue” liner.
- WASHINGTON (7News) — President Donald Trump is making his final pitch to voters ahead of Election Day from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks Monday afternoon at the Reflecting Pool, putting the spotlight on the $14 million renovation project, which has faced questions and criticism over its cost and construction issues.
- RELATED | Trump says Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is 85% full after repairs The Associated Press reports that a source familiar with the plans said Trump's speech is expected to focus on the agenda he and Republican lawmakers have advanced since the beginning of his second term.
- The appearance marks an unconventional end to Trump's midterm campaign push, with the president choosing to deliver his closing message in D.C.
What's still developing
- The pool was allegedly vandalized, and the Justice Department charged a former Olympic canoeist, David Hearn.
- Calling him "Blake Gende-Biden," Vance said that Democrats are "trying to get you to send a message that even here in beautiful upstate New York, the communists can win."
- The event highlights visible improvements at the iconic National Mall site as a final voter push before polls open, with the president having been expected to talk up what his administration has achieved, along with the record of Republicans in Congress, with the president having also been expected to speak about what his administration has been doing in the capital itself, with the official having said that includes “restoring our Great Capital,” a phrase that points to his push to renovate landmarks in Washington.