Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says Trump administration will not seek new bids to repair Reflecting Pool

The Trump administration will not seek new bids to repair the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Sunday, addressing questions about how the century-old water feature will be restored and what the damage is expected to cost. Burgum’s remarks were made as the administration faced fresh scrutiny over a project that has required additional work after the pool was damaged.

Burgum said he was “100% sure” that vandals caused the damage. He described what he said were multiple cuts to the Reflecting Pool’s line, totaling about 350 feet. Burgum said the findings point to intentional harm rather than routine wear or system failure.

The Interior secretary also said the pool will need to be at least partially drained in the coming week to complete repairs. He said the scope of the work is expected to cost “tens of thousands of dollars,” a figure he cited while discussing the likely timeline and the steps needed to bring the pool back to working condition.

Burgum’s comments came as reporters and officials asked how much the taxpayer-funded effort will require and whether the administration’s contracting approach should be adjusted. By saying the government would not solicit new bids, the administration indicated it intends to rely on its existing procurement and project plans rather than restarting the process.

The Reflecting Pool project has drawn attention because it is an iconic public element of the National Mall and because repair efforts can affect scheduled public access and other related uses of the Mall, including events that draw visitors during peak travel periods. Interior said the practical repair sequence will include draining and then completing the remaining work, according to Burgum.

While Burgum framed the need for repairs around vandalism and said he is confident about the cause, he did not indicate in the reporting summarized here that new law-enforcement actions were announced alongside the repair plan. The administration’s focus, in his remarks, was on executing the repair work without reopening the bidding process.

The administration’s decision not to seek new bids may keep the repair schedule on its current track, with the next major step being the partial draining of the pool in the coming week. The outcome of the work will determine when the Reflecting Pool can be fully restored to regular operation, and how quickly the administration can address public concerns about costs and accountability.