Adam Schiff Rips Trump Over White House Reflecting Pool Deal, Says The President’s ‘Art Of The Deal’ Is A

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) criticized President Donald Trump on Tuesday over a $13.1 million no-bid contract for repairs and a blue paint job at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, accusing the president of steering taxpayer money to a favored contractor despite earlier promises to keep public costs down.

Schiff Links Pool Deal To Trump Promises

Schiff wrote on X, “A ballroom he promised taxpayers wouldn’t pay for. A wall he promised Mexico would. And now a no-bid contract for a favored pool contractor costing taxpayers millions more. Trump’s art of the deal is, and always will be, a scam.”

Reflecting Pool Cost Climbs Past Estimate

Schiff was responding to a New York Times report that said the cost to repair and repaint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has climbed to $13.1 million, more than seven times Trump’s initial $1.8 million estimate. The Interior Department last week added $6.2 million to an existing $6.9 million contract, the report said.

The work is being handled by Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia firm that received a no-bid contract in April. The company previously repaired swimming pools at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C., and at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. The government cited an urgent need to proceed, saying delay would cause “serious injury,” according to the Times.

The expedited schedule followed Trump’s directive to finish the project before July 4, 2026, when the United States marks its 250th anniversary.

Lawsuit Challenges Blue Pool Coating

Photo Courtesy: lev radin on Shutterstock.com