Interior Secretary Doug Burgum admitted Wednesday that President Donald Trump's so-called "pool guy" has no involvement in the $13.1 million no-bid contract for renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Testifying before the House Committee on Natural Resources, Burgum also stated he was not familiar with the company awarded the lucrative deal.
Burgum Defends No-Bid Contract
During the hearing, Burgum defended the contract awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings LLC, which had never previously held a federal contract. The administration bypassed competitive bidding by citing potential "serious injury" to the government if delayed. Burgum argued that the urgency stemmed from a backlog of maintenance issues, including 19 non-functioning fountains in Washington, D.C.
"I think we do have a sense of urgency," Burgum said. "We got handed a record amount of deferred maintenance. We had 19 fountains across the city that didn't work." Democratic Representative Joe Neguse challenged this justification, questioning whether broken fountains constituted a "serious injury" to the government.
Trump's Claims and Contractor Details
President Trump had previously boasted about hiring a "pool guy" for the project, but Burgum clarified that this individual is "not a part of this contract" and merely offered "free advice" as a concerned citizen. Federal records show the National Park Service awarded $6.8 million on April 3 and an additional $6.2 million on May 8 to Atlantic Industrial Coatings LLC for painting and supplementary work.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump denied knowledge of the contractor, writing, "I didn't give out the contract, 'Interior' did, to a contractor I did not know, and have never used before."
Democratic Criticism of 'Vanity Projects'
Burgum faced sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers over what they termed Trump's "vanity projects" in Washington, including plans for a 250-foot Triumphal Arch. Representative Jared Huffman pressed Burgum on the arch's purpose, noting Trump had said it was for "him." Burgum maintained it was for the American people, but Huffman countered, "Trump said this arch is for him. His answer was 'me.' We can enter that into the record if you like."
The Independent has sought comment from Atlantic Industrial Coatings LLC.
