Trump Plans Election-Eve Remarks at Reflecting Pool

Donald Trump was scheduled to deliver election-eve remarks at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday, Nov. 2, presenting the restored landmark as part of his closing message before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The pool’s condition and access status remained disputed in accounts of the event. Trump said he wanted to speak at the site to show how beautiful it was and maintained that vandals had damaged it. The pool had undergone repairs after its blue coating peeled and algae turned the water green. Contractors later applied another layer of waterproofing and flushed the filtration system. The National Park Service said the pool area, nearby walkways and grass medians would remain closed to visitors through 11:59 p.m. ET on Nov. 20. Its notice cited remaining work on the water circulation system and water-quality testing. Another account said the pool had reopened on Oct. 29, leaving its visitor status around the time of Trump’s planned remarks unresolved in the reporting. Trump’s explanation for the damage was not independently established. A July 31 federal court filing cited Interior Department records attributing damage in June to installation defects. The filing...