A recent review shows the State Department allocated over $1.2 million of U.S. taxpayer money to upgrade swimming pools at American diplomatic missions overseas. The projects spanned at least 14 contracts, improving pools in countries including Iraq, Russia, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Haiti, Ghana, and Indonesia.
- In Baghdad, the embassy received approximately $444,000 to overhaul its indoor pool dehumidification system.
- In Moscow, a $40,000 contract was issued in mid-2022 to replace a sewer pump servicing the swimming pool—months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Other upgrades included pool covers, deck repairs, and plumbing fixes in locations like Zimbabwe and Sudan.
- Some contracts, such as a $173,000 pool upgrade in Indonesia, remain pending payment.
Senator Joni Ernst criticized the expenditures, calling them unnecessary and vowing to push for tighter oversight of foreign aid spending.