The Reflecting Pool Screw up

The information below is by courtesy of my Gemini Clanker, I’ll call him George.

The recent multi-million-dollar renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool involves two primary contractors that were hired under controversial arrangements.

Here is the breakdown of who they are, their experience, and their ties to Donald Trump:

1. Atlantic Industrial Coatings (Sealing & Painting)

• The Job: This Virginia-based company was awarded the main contract to apply a waterproof sealant and paint the floor of the 7-acre pool a custom “American Flag Blue.” The cost of this contract ballooned from an initial estimate of less than $2 million to roughly $14.7 million.

• Their Experience: Prior to this project, the company had never won a federal contract. Labor unions and industry critics heavily criticized the choice, arguing that many other firms with deep expertise in historic monument restoration were locked out of the process.

• Relationship with Donald Trump: Accounts of their relationship have been contradictory. Trump initially claimed a direct connection, stating that he sent “my guy” who had previously done “unbelievable” work on swimming pools at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. However, Trump later reversed course, stating he had never worked with the company and didn’t know them. The White House later stated that while Trump has no personal relationship with the firm, he was simply “familiar with the company’s work.”

2. Green Water Solutions / Greenwater Services (Water Purification)

• The Job: This Ohio-based company was brought in on a $1.7 million contract to install a patented “Nano Bubble” ozone filtration system aimed at clearing up the pool’s notorious algae blooms.

• Their Experience: Federal contracting records show the company has minimal federal experience. Its only other government contract was a $1 million deal in 2025 to conduct a feasibility study on sewage flows in the Tijuana River.

• Relationship with Donald Trump: The company is owned by an investment trust run by John J. Cafaro, a prominent, longtime Trump mega-donor who has poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into Trump’s campaigns (including a $250,000 donation to a Trump fundraising committee). Cafaro is also one of Trump’s wealthy neighbors in Palm Beach, Florida, near Mar-a-Lago, and the water company even used Cafaro’s Palm Beach mansion as its corporate Florida address. Trump has publicly praised Cafaro in the past as a “fantastic man,” though Cafaro told local reporters that Trump “doesn’t know a thing about” the firm securing the pool job.

Was it Really a No-Bid Arrangement?

Yes, completely. Both companies were handed their contracts without having to compete against other businesses.

To bypass the standard federal procurement laws—which strictly require competitive bidding to ensure taxpayers get the best value—the Department of the Interior invoked an exemption for projects of “unusual and compelling urgency.”

The administration justified skipping the bidding process by arguing that the pool had to be overhauled at “Trump speed” so it would be ready for the United States’ 250th birthday celebrations on July 4, 2026. However, because the contracts lacked competition, they faced heavy scrutiny. Internal National Park Service documents revealed that Atlantic Industrial Coatings was locked into a 20% profit margin, which government analysts flagged as “excessive” and roughly double the standard 6% to 12% margin typically allowed on federal projects.

Synopsis:

A longtime Trump financial supporter and neighbor got a no-bid contract with very favorable terms but they weren’t the ones who screwed this up by themselves.

The other no-bid contractor screwed up the painting and sealing because…they are completely unqualified.

Then typical Trump, he denies knowing the paint contractor (after previously calling them “my guy”) and blames vandals for causing the issue (without evidence), which is ridiculous considering that there are 24/7 cameras on the Reflecting Pool.

If this was a screw-up at Mar-A-Lago, privately owned and funded, that would be fine. But this is our tax dollars paying for corruption and incompetence.

What bothers me most is people I deem as intelligent are falling for this because they believe everything, unconditionally, Trump says. sad.