Brown water clouds another Trump beautification project in Washington, D.C.

President Donald Trump is not having much luck when it comes to his signature renovation projects. After the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was swarmed by green algae and its new paint began peeling off, another Washington, D.C., project has landed in murky waters—quite literally! Photos and videos circulating on social media show the historic cascading fountain at Meridian Hill Park filled with thick, murky brown water.

Reopened in May 2026, after being defunct for seven years, the cascading fountain renovation was part of the President's executive order called 'Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful.' Journalist Aaron Parnas, who shared a video of the fountain on X, wrote, "The water has turned brown in one of Trump's marquee beautification projects."

According to Fox, the National Park Service (NPS) said that old pipes left out of service during a year-long renovation released large quantities of sediment, which turned the water brown.  The sediment broke loose inside old plumbing lines as water began flowing through the renovated system. Maintenance crews have been tasked with flushing the fountain, and clear water is expected to flow soon. However, some critics have pointed out that the fountain has been open for a while now, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also visiting, noting that the reported release of sediments is recent.  

Meanwhile, the White House lashed out at reports that labelled the situation as another failure of President Trump's renovation efforts, calling them "total bulls**t." "The light sediment that resulted from pipes sitting dormant during renovations is quickly being cleaned up," it added. The handle also shared a video of visitors praising the cascading fountain. "I'm obsessed with the fountain. It feels like Paris. Before, this space was really dead, and no one was using it," one visitor tells the interviewer in the video.

However, a separate video released by Fox shows visitors expressing their discontent with the color of the water. "It just opened, so they are going to have to shut it down and figure out why it's turning brown or get a fix," one visitor said. "It is disappointing to see that the color has changed because it is a beautiful place, but I hope to see that it comes back better," another visitor added.

As part of the renovation, crews installed new pumps and waterproofing, replaced sections of cast-iron piping, and rehabilitated the upper lawns. While the water remains discolored, National Park Service officials said that clarity is already improving as flushing operations continue ahead of the official reopening. For the Trump administration, a renovation project with below-par results is the last thing it wants.

The Trump administration has refused to acknowledge any flaws in the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, blaming the damage on vandals. The Justice Department also arrested U.S. Olympic canoeist David "Davey" Hearn and charged him with damaging the pool. On Wednesday, Hearn pleaded not guilty to the charges in court. His next hearing is set for August 5.