The Washington Post faced backlash after suggesting that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ‘looks almost the same’ following President Donald Trump’s renovations. The Trump administration and several commentators called out the paper for allegedly misleading readers.

Renovation Details

The $10 million renovation project, which was completed in six weeks, aimed to improve the pool’s appearance and address leaks that caused millions of gallons of water loss per year. The project was initially projected to cost more, but Trump’s team was able to complete it at a fraction of the time and cost of a similar project under the Obama administration.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s communications director, Cody Sargent, commented on the renovation, saying ‘Why is the @washingtonpost so committed to this stupid lie? Here’s an actual before and after from @EarthCam.’ Sargent also posted images of the Reflecting Pool from March 2026 and June 2026, showing the improvements made.

Other commentators, including Gov. Ron DeSantis and podcast host Katie Miller, also praised the renovation and criticized The Washington Post’s claim. Media Research Center President David Bozell commented, ‘It works. It doesn’t leak. It doesn’t smell like wet dog hair. It doesn’t have algae swirling in it. Go pound sand.’

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.