Owner of Company Responsible for Part of Trump's Reflecting Pool Renovation Pleaded Guilty to Bribing Congressman

Source: MEDIAite

Jun 19th, 2026, 12:07 am


The head of the company that owns the firm responsible for part of the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool pleaded guilty to bribing a congressman, The New York Times reported on Thursday night.

President Donald Trump fixated on the Reflecting Pool in recent months, taking a personal interest in seeing to its renovation. He frequently brought up the topic during press gaggles, even when reporters had not asked him about it. Since the job was completed, the pool has been plagued by algae blooms. This week, passersby at the pool began to notice paint starting to peel away from the bottom. Rather than reflect the color Trump chose for the bottom – American flag blue – the algae has given the pool a distinct green hue.

As part of the renovation, Trump awarded a $1,7 million no-bid contract to an Ohio company to install a water purification system. The name of the company is – and this is true – Greenwater Services.

The Times reported that the company is owned by the J.J. Cafaro Trust, helmed by John J. Cafaro, a Trump donor and one of the president’s Mar-a-Lago neighbors. His water purification company lists Cafaro’s mansion in Palm Beach as its address in Florida corporate records. The report added that Cafaro’s daughter served as a Democratic Ohio state senator from 2007 to 2016, and said he has donated money to Republicans and Democrats.

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump/owner-of-company-responsible-for-part-of-trumps-reflecting-pool-renovation-pleaded-guilty-to-bribing-congressman/