Interior Department heralds algae treatment in Reflecting Pool, comparing it to ‘destroyed’ Iranian navy

Published June 18, 2026 8:39am ET | Updated June 18, 2026 4:48pm ET



The Department of the Interior declared victory Thursday in its war against algae at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and celebrated by comparing the cleanup to the destruction of the Iranian navy.

The Reflecting Pool turned a vivid shade of green earlier this week, just days after President Donald Trump’s administration completed work aimed at restoring the monument the president had previously called “absolutely filthy.” Photos from earlier this week showed National Park Service employees combating the algae by dumping gallons of hydrogen peroxide into the bright green pool.

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