Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Reflecting pool on the National Mall in Washington DC fronting the Lincoln Memorial.
Last refreshed: 9 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why does it matter where a president chooses to speak about Iran?
Timeline for Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Mentioned in: White House signs no Iran instrument on day 71
Iran Conflict 2026- Where did Trump speak about Iran on 8 May 2026?
- Trump addressed reporters at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, telling CBS News it was 'too soon' for new direct US-Iran talks.Source: Lowdown briefing update 92
- What is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool?
- A 618-metre rectangular pool on the National Mall fronting the Lincoln Memorial, designed by Henry Bacon and built 1922-23.Source: National Park Service
- Who designed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool?
- Henry Bacon, the architect of the Lincoln Memorial itself; the pool was constructed between 1922 and 1923.Source: National Park Service
Background
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is a 618-metre-long rectangular reflecting basin on the National Mall in Washington DC, fronting the Lincoln Memorial to its west and the Washington Monument to its east. Designed by Henry Bacon and constructed between 1922 and 1923, it sits at the symbolic spine of the Mall and forms a regular backdrop for presidential public events and historic addresses, including Martin Luther King Jr's 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech.
The pool features as a venue in the 9 May 2026 Iran briefing because President Donald Trump addressed reporters at its edge on 8 May, telling CBS News it was "too soon" for new direct US-Iran talks even as he claimed elsewhere that Iran had agreed to the US Ceasefire memorandum. The choice of venue, in the open mall rather than the Oval Office or the Rose Garden, places presidential remarks outside the formal channels that typically generate signed paper.
