The Aporia
Scott, O. (2026, August 21). Trump puts his face on Reflecting Pool water in algae green during latest posting spree. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-reflecting-pool-artificial-intelligence-b3036873.html
Scott, Owen. “Trump puts his face on Reflecting Pool water in algae green during latest posting spree.” The Independent, 21 Aug. 2026, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-reflecting-pool-artificial-intelligence-b3036873.html.
Scott, Owen. “Trump puts his face on Reflecting Pool water in algae green during latest posting spree.” The Independent, August 21, 2026. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-reflecting-pool-artificial-intelligence-b3036873.html.
Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.
President Donald Trump has uploaded an image of himself onto the surface of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which has turned green due to algae blooms. The image, created using artificial intelligence, depicts the pool with bright blue water and features a silhouette of Trump's face in a shade of green similar to the algae. This is not the first time Trump has intervened with the pool, as he had previously drained it and repainted it an "American-flag blue" earlier this year. However, the paint began peeling off and the water quickly turned green again. Trump has claimed that the algae blooms are the result of vandalism, despite evidence to the contrary. The incident is notable in light of a recent court filing by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, which suggested that former Olympian canoeist David Hearn may still face prosecution for allegedly damaging the pool, despite initial charges being dropped.