President Donald Trump recently stated that he was not "100% thrilled" with the contractor hired for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation, claiming the firm was "rushing" to complete the work. In remarks made in the Oval Office, Trump suggested he did not know the contractor, identified as Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based company reportedly paid $14.7 million for the project on a no-bid contract.
However, comments from Trump made on April 23 present a different narrative. In a video circulating on social media, Trump recalled a conversation with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum about the firm and their prior work on his personal pools. "I said, ‘I have a guy who’s unbelievable at doing swimming pools,’" Trump said, recounting how he recommended the contractor. He further described the contractor presenting a color called "American Flag Blue," which Trump stated he liked and the contractor "talked me into it very easily."
By May, Trump had posted on his Truth Social platform that he did not know the contractor and that the Interior Department, not him, had awarded the contract. He also attributed damage to the pool to vandals, a conclusion that contradicts findings by his own Justice Department, which reportedly determined the contractor was not to blame.
In addition to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, Greenwater Services was awarded a no-bid contract to install a new water purification system for the pool. The president and CEO of Greenwater Services, John J. Cafaro, is reportedly a Trump donor and a neighbor of Trump's Mar-a-Lago club.