The White House previewed on Saturday stunning images of the renovated reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial, just in time for the UFC Freedom 250 celebration scheduled for this Sunday in the South Lawn of the presidential residence and the National Mall in Washington D.C.
The official video, shared on the White House account on X, shows footage of hundreds of people gathered at the National Mall, the octagon set up in front of the White House illuminated in blue and red, and a dramatic double rainbow over the Washington Monument at sunset, with the reflecting pool in the background.
"The energy of fight night has taken over Washington. UFC Freedom 250 is almost here," posted the official White House account.
The commentator Eric Daugherty described the moment as one of the most epic moments leading up to the event, noting that "President Trump's reflective pool was ready just in time" and that "it will be one of the greatest sporting events in the history of the United States."
The renovation of the pool, however, has not been without controversy. Trump ordered to cover the original granite bottom from 1923 with industrial-grade blue paint, which the president himself referred to as “American flag blue.”
The initial cost announced in April was 1.5 million dollars, but the New York Times estimated the figure at 13.1 million, while the White House estimated it at around 10 million.
Just days after the pool was filled, green algae began to appear on the surface, sparking criticism on social media. Brianne Chapman wrote that “the reflecting pool is VERY green and VERY dirty.” The Department of the Interior described the algae as “residual” from the construction period.
Laurence Boorstein noted on X that Trump hired the same company that maintains his pool at Mar-a-Lago to do the work, and that "the green algae are floating on the surface again."
The UFC Freedom 250 is the first professional sports event held at the presidential residence of the United States, part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the country's independence. The main card features the lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, and the interim heavyweight title bout between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira.
The president of the UFC, Dana White, estimated that the total cost of the event could reach 60 million dollars. The organization also agreed to pay 700,000 dollars to restore the grass of the White House after the event. A federal judge rejected a request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the event from taking place.
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the event on Friday as a gift to the American people and a way to showcase American culture to the world. The event will be broadcast on Paramount+ starting at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.
Filed under: