The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been a notorious mess, with algae blooms, hydrogen peroxide treatments, and a two-tone color. President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that vandals with knives had slashed a 250-foot gash and poured corrosive chemicals into the pool. He threatened a 10-year prison sentence for the destruction and said he inspected it himself, calling the perpetrators 'sick, deranged people.'
No-Bid Contract Awarded to Trump Donor
However, the internet discovered that the man hired to fix the pool is J.J. Cafaro, owner of Greenwater Services, which received a $1.7 million no-bid contract from the National Park Service. Cafaro is a Trump donor and neighbor at Mar-a-Lago. The New York Times reported that in 2001, Cafaro pleaded guilty to bribing former Democratic Representative James A. Traficant Jr.
Public Reaction to the 'Poolman'
Photos of Cafaro, described as looking like a cartoon villain, sparked widespread mockery online. Comments included: 'How much clearer does the criminal enterprise have to be?' and 'We are at this level of capitalism now where the villains look like the nipple ring guy from Mad Max.' Others joked about a Netflix series and compared him to WWE manager Paul Bearer. One user said, 'The writers of the simulation need to tone it down a little.'
