Shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump authorized more than $14 million to repaint the bottom of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool “American flag blue” in 2026, the paint began to peel off.
While some people claimed it was sabotage, it was more likely that the paint peeled off because hydrogen peroxide was poured into the pool to treat green algae. As of this writing, officials had not confirmed a cause of the peeling paint.
Shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump authorized more than $14 million to repaint the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool “American flag blue” to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s foundation, a rumor spread online in June 2026 that the paint was already peeling off.
The claim spread on social media, with some users claiming that the peeling paint was the result of “sabotage” against Trump (archived):
Others said the dark blue sheets visible in videos of the reflecting pool were only “debris” (archived).
One X user shared an underwater video of the pool that appears to show patches of intact blue paint contrasted with sections where it was peeling away. Meanwhile, Snopes readers reached out to verify whether the claim about the peeling paint was true.
As we outline below, the blue paint did indeed peel off days after National Park Service workers refilled the pool following the renovation. However, available evidence didn’t point to “sabotage,” as some people online claimed. Instead, it was more likely that the paint peeled because hydrogen peroxide was poured into the pool to treat green algae. As of this writing, officials had not confirmed a cause of the peeling paint.
We contacted the White House, the NPS and the Department of the Interior, which oversees the NPS, for comment on the peeling paint and await replies.
From the renovation to reports of peeling paint
In April 2026, the pool’s water was drained for renovations and to repaint its bottom “American flag blue,” as Trump described it.
Trump authorized more than $14.6 million for this renovation, according to the federal government spending database. The database lists an entry for a “definitive contract” with Atlantic Industrial Coatings to “PAINT LINCOLN REFLECTING POOL.”
A search of expenses since 2008 revealed this was the first time the U.S. government contracted this company. The New York Times reported on May 11 that there had been no call for bids. In other words, the contractor had no competition. Trump reportedly chose the contractor because he wanted the pool to be ready for the country’s 250th anniversary on July 4.
Is hydrogen peroxide the culprit?
On June 16, CNN reported that NPS workers were vacuuming the bottom of the reflecting pool and pouring hydrogen peroxide into it to the treat the green algae. Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful, yet eco-friendly, algaecide.
According to a research paper written by Polish chemical engineers, hydrogen peroxide is an active ingredient in some paint-remover formulations, suggesting it could be culprit behind the reflecting pool’s peeling paint. Washing machine maker Whirlpool also recommends using hydrogen peroxide to remove dried paint from clothes.
For further reading, Snopes has also covered Trump’s decision to tear down the East Wing of the White House to build a ballroom, including the claim that the contractors are using steel from Luxembourg for its structure.
