President Trump’s administration awards a $6.9 million, no-bid contract to renovate and repaint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., a project described as turning the basin “blue.” Multiple outlets report the contract is given to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based firm, on April 3. Critics and reporting note that company records indicate it has not previously held a federal contract, and that the business has performed work on a swimming pool at one of Trump’s Virginia golf clubs. Separate coverage also describes challenges to the arrangement, including a new lawsuit and concerns about rising costs associated with the work. Trump responds to the controversy by disputing or adjusting his account of the contractor. Reporting says he initially suggested he personally knew or had spoken to the individual connected to the work, then later said he does not know the contractor. The dispute centers on procurement procedures, cost concerns, and the company’s relationship to Trump’s private properties.