Amid ongoing war with Iran and political pressure concerning its costs, U.S. President Donald Trump, on June 3, highlighted the completion of renovations to the historic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during an Oval Office appearance. The 79-year-old president, known for his interest in construction, described the pool, which opened in 1922 and has a history of leaks, as being renovated with "very special material." The refurbishment is expected to conclude before the July 4 holiday, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. Trump controversially compared the pool's scale to skyscrapers and also likened the crowd size at his January 6, 2021, National Mall rally to the audience for Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, a claim disputed by historical estimates.