Interior Secretary Doug Burgum Denies Claims of Reflecting Pool Renovation Failure

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum engaged in a dispute with CNN’s Dana Bash concerning the damage caused to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. Burgum stated that officials can demonstrate that vandals were responsible for cutting the newly installed liner after Bash questioned whether the Trump administration’s renovation had failed prior to the Fourth of July celebration.

Bash asked Burgum whether he was certain that vandalism was the cause of the damage, and whether he could provide proof.

Burgum responded, ‘Absolutely you can. As we drain it, we’ve got all the photographs we can see.’

Burgum further addressed Bash’s inquiries regarding photographic evidence showing ‘a person or people cutting a 300 or 350 ft gash’ in the pool’s liner.

He elaborated, emphasizing that the pool’s liner is made from industrial material, distinct from paint. He compared the durability of this sprayed-on liner to that used in pickup truck beds, stating that it would not simply peel off or fall off.

‘Every farmer and rancher in America that’s had their pickup liner lined by this sprayed-on liner knows that you would never see it just peel off or fall off,’ Burgum remarked. ‘This is a strong material, the size of eight football fields.’

Burgum confirmed that the Reflecting Pool’s new blue industrial liner had been physically cut, rather than peeled off.

‘The pattern of the damage showed it was deliberately cut,’ Burgum asserted. ‘The only way you can end up with actual slices in one spot and not the other is that someone physically cut it.’

Addressing the pool’s previous issues, Burgum mentioned that it was fixed after leaking substantial amounts of water daily. He claimed the pool is currently not leaking.

‘The pool itself, it’s not leaking,’ Burgum noted. ‘It was leaking 45,000 gallons a day. It’s finally been fixed by President Trump, and the American flag blue is working perfectly.’

Burgum explained that the pool was closed due to the setup for Fourth of July fireworks, defending the Trump administration’s renovation efforts.

He commented on the broader state of the nation’s capital prior to renovation, highlighting issues faced before work commenced.

‘The real scandal is about the fact that the state of our capital was in such total disrepair,’ Burgum stated. ‘No one was reporting about the pro-Hamas graffiti.’

Regarding the closure of the Reflecting Pool during the Fourth of July celebration, Burgum noted it was due to fireworks.

‘It was closed because it’s surrounded by fireworks,’ Burgum said. ‘It’s closed every year on the Fourth of July.’

He mentioned that the fencing around the pool was connected to the fireworks display setup and would be removed afterward.

‘You can’t have people around fireworks when they’re being set up,’ Burgum explained. ‘The fence was there because of the fireworks.’

Bash questioned whether President Trump’s motorcade could have caused damage when it crossed the pool.

‘No,’ Burgum replied. ‘He didn’t take the Beast. We were driving in a Cadillac Escalade.’

Burgum confirmed that the same contractor would be employed for repairs, praising the previous work done on the pool.

‘We’ll use the same company because they did a fantastic job,’ Burgum asserted, noting the vandalism was minor yet still costly. ‘It was bad. It could cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair.’

The Associated Press reported that Burgum mentioned the pool would have to be partially drained in the upcoming week, with repairs not opened to new contractors. Green Water Solutions obtained a $1.7 million contract for a water-purification system, while Atlantic Industrial Coatings received $14.7 million to repaint and waterproof the pool’s concrete floor.

CJ Womack, an associate editor at Fox News, joined the Digital team in 2026, emphasizing the importance of journalism in shaping politics and culture. CJ graduated from Long Beach State University in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Journalism. News tips can be sent to [email protected] and followers can connect with CJ on Twitter.