WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump made a surprise visit Thursday to the Lincoln Memorial, where he inspected the Reflecting Pool following renovations that added what he describes as an ‘American flag blue’ coating to the water feature.
During the unannounced visit, Trump not only examined the work but also drove his vehicle across the pool while speaking with reporters who had been brought to the scene ahead of his arrival.
The Republican commander-in-chief indicated he has additional plans for modifications to the Lincoln Memorial structure itself, though he declined to provide specific details about those proposals.
‘We have a beautiful plan for that too,’ Trump stated when discussing potential changes to the memorial honoring President Abraham Lincoln. However, construction crews have already been working for several years on developing an underground visitors’ center at the site.
Trump first revealed the reflecting pool renovation plans last month during an unrelated appearance in the Oval Office. He explained that the project was motivated by criticism from a German friend who visited Washington and described the pool’s water as dark, dirty and unsightly.
This renovation represents yet another effort by Trump to implement his vision for changes throughout the nation’s capital, following his previous decision to tear down the White House East Wing to construct a large ballroom in that location.
