Trump's $14.2 million Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation — repainted 'American Flag Blue' — got hit by a green algae bloom, and crews are using hydrogen peroxide to treat it. The author's joke comparing the bleached perimeter to a Rothko painting is based on observations from aerial and ground-level reports showing the bleaching effect is most visible around the edges. The Interior Department blames residual algae from supply lines sitting dormant during the repaint. The bigger picture: this is part of Trump's broader campaign to revamp DC monuments, and it's the second visible setback in under two weeks.