Contractor admits fault for Reflecting Pool damage

WASHINGTON - Newly obtained documents revealed that the ongoing issues at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool stem from contractor mistakes rather than vandalism. The information contradicts previous claims by the Trump administration. 

What we know:

Records reviewed by The New York Times indicate that the pool’s blue liner peeled and tore due to human oversight during the installation process.

Specific errors cited in the documents include failing to apply sufficient primer in certain areas and using incompatible chemicals. 

READ MORE | Former Olympian fights to have Reflecting Pool vandalism charges permanently dismissed

While the records noted that vandals caused minor cuts in the caulking along the pool's edges, they explicitly did not link those cuts to the peeling liner or pool floor damage. 

Despite the Department of Justice dropping charges against individuals previously accused of damaging the pool, the administration has continued to cite vandalism as the primary cause.

Efforts to address the initial failures have introduced further complications. According to the documents, a worker wearing a protective suit earlier this month dripped sweat onto the newly applied coating, trapping moisture beneath the surface.

Department of the Interior responds

What they're saying:

In a statement responding to the findings, a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior maintained that vandalism played a role.

"There are always parts of a project where a contractor returns to make sure the work is perfect. And in this case, with the major vandalism of long razor-blade gashes, the contractor is also replacing the sections of the pool damaged by vandals, who also repeatedly reached into the pool and ripped at the coating," a statement read in part.

The spokesperson also criticized former President Barack Obama for "failing so epically with the reflecting pool." 

The Interior Department said the pool will eventually reopen, but no timeline was provided.

For now, the Reflecting Pool remains drained and surrounded by fencing. 

The prolonged closure has drawn frustration from visitors and residents, with one tourist expressing disappointment at missing the iconic view on their first trip to Washington, D.C. Others voiced frustration over decision-making behind the project's management.

"The fact that it is damaged like this and there is no reflection is just indicative of what’s going on with some people who make a lot of decisions for us, and they don’t really care," one person told FOX 5 DC. 

The project's contractor did not respond to requests for comment.