Jimmy Kimmel mocks Trump over $14m reflecting pool algae problem: 'He can’t even get that right'

Jimmy Kimmel took aim at Donald Trump after a costly renovation of Washington, DC's Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was hit by an algae bloom just days after completion.

During the June 16, 2026 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the late-night host mocked the project, which reportedly cost more than $14 million and was intended to transform the iconic pool into what Trump described as “American flag blue”. Instead, the water quickly turned green due to algae growth.

Kimmel joked that Trump, who owns golf resorts and hotels, should have known how to maintain a pool. “He's a hotel owner. He can't even get that right,” the comedian quipped while discussing the situation with his audience.

The host also poked fun at the administration's decision to repaint the reflecting pool, noting that experts have suggested darker colours can increase water temperatures and create conditions that encourage algae growth. Kimmel sarcastically described the project as another expensive undertaking that failed to deliver the desired results.

The controversy stems from a renovation project overseen by the Trump administration ahead of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained, resurfaced and repainted before being refilled earlier this month. However, algae began appearing shortly after the water returned.

In response to the bloom, National Park Service crews have been treating the water with hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble ozone technology in an effort to restore the pool's appearance. Interior Department officials have defended the project, arguing that algae has been a long-standing issue at the site and that the new treatment systems will provide long-term benefits.

Kimmel wasn't the only late-night host to weigh in on the mishap. The algae outbreak has sparked widespread mockery online, with critics questioning both the project's cost and its effectiveness. Some right-wing commentators, meanwhile, have floated theories that the problem was caused by sabotage rather than environmental conditions, claims that have also become the subject of comedy segments.

Wrapping up his monologue, Kimmel delivered one final jab at the president's signature campaign slogan, joking that instead of “draining the swamp”, Trump had effectively created a new one.