President Donald Trump criticized what he called “crazy pro-algae” protesters at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, where National Guard troops have been sent to help secure the site.
In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump singled out a demonstrator dressed in a pink frog costume and holding a banner that read, “First they came for the algae.” He described the person as a “likely-paid” protester.
“Here is another example of a crazy pro-algae (likely paid) protestor,” Trump wrote.
He went on to explain the message on the sign, saying it referenced a well-known post-World War II statement about the consequences of remaining silent in the face of Nazi persecution: “Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
The remarks came after Trump warned that anyone who attempts to damage the Reflecting Pool renovation project, estimated to cost $16 million, could face prison time.
Trump said the Reflecting Pool was the only part of his broader renovation effort that had been vandalized, adding that the issue was being addressed “ASAP.”
“It has been given a 300-foot gash, chemicals have been illegally placed in the water, and the beautiful new grass field has been destroyed with ‘86 47’ chemically carved into it,” he wrote on Truth Social Monday morning.
“Please remember that there is a 10 year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things – which will be fully enforced!” Trump added.
President Donald Trump jumped on Truth Social on Monday evening to bash a ‘likely-paid’ protestor stood in a pink frog costume while holding a banner that read, ‘first they came for the algae’
A woman was detained before being issued a ticket after allegedly removing a piece of the coating that has peeled off at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Trump’s threats come as the algae which the project was supposed to remove has dramatically returned, tinting the water green.
Pieces of the newly applied ‘American Flag Blue’ sealant have appeared to peel up off the bottom of the pool.
Trump admitted over the weekend that he would ‘probably be forced to release and drain much of the water’ from the pool to facilitate repairs.
There was reportedly a large law enforcement presence at the pool Monday morning as it began to drain.
Trump has repeatedly blamed the problems with the project on nefarious vandals, calling them ‘sick, deranged’ people on Sunday.
He previously mentioned the alleged ‘gash’ as being 250 feet long, adding that the US Park Police have arrested people accused of vandalizing the pool.
A Trump official told the Wall Street Journal that five people had been arrested as of Saturday night.
Images of a dead duckling in the algae-infested waters circulated on social media yesterday.
A dead duckling in the reflecting pool was tragically discovered on Sunday following Trump’s costly efforts to beautify the site ahead of America’s 250th birthday
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National Park Service workers vacuum pumps to clean algae off the bottom of the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, DC
The photos sparked outrage online as many pointed to the algae-tackling chemicals that are being dumped in the waters.
Just days ago, crews were seen dumping hydrogen peroxide into the water to curb algal growth.
The Department of the Interior, which is overseeing the project, said in a statement to media outlets that ‘nanobubbler technology’ had been installed to address the buildup of algae.
‘Unlike under Obama and Biden, the National Park Service is actually maintaining the beautifully completed Reflecting Pool,’ a spokesperson for the department said in a statement to the Daily Mail.
‘To keep the water in the Reflecting Pool not only crystal clear but also clean, we are deploying high-tech nanobubble ozone technology.’
The department added that the technology kills algae, pathogens and contaminants that have long plagued the pool.
The DOI confirmed that hydrogen peroxide was being used to treat the pool, but claimed there were no harmful side effects to the environment or marine life.
The administration paid over $1.7million to Green Water Solutions LLC last April for a ‘nano bubble,’ according to government spending files.
The DOI confirmed that hydrogen peroxide was being used to treat the pool, but claimed there were no harmful side effects to the environment or marine life
David Hearn, 62, is a former Olympian who was arrested on Friday for allegedly vandalizing the recently renovated Reflecting Pool in Washington DC
Nanobubblers are microscopic gas bubbles. They suspend in water, increasing dissolved oxygen levels and altering the water chemistry. The gas bubbles damage algae cells and break them apart, preventing the water from turning green.
The ducklings tragic death comes after a former US Olympian was placed in handcuffs for allegedly vandalizing the pool.
David Hearn, 62, told the Daily Mail his arrest and the charges were a farce intended to boost a false narrative as he shared an image of the pool’s damaged facade.
‘It’s a completely unfounded accusation. It’s a lie,’ Hearn said over the phone. ‘I didn’t rip, tear, destruct, destroy, or harm in any way, any part of the reflecting pool.’
Hearn admitted to touching a ‘loose flap of coating,’ but claimed he did so purely because he was ‘curious as a concerned citizen.’
‘They clearly wanted a news story that they could promote that was centered around vandals damaging the reflecting pool,’ Hearn said, adamant he did nothing wrong.
‘Officers were ready to arrest me and other people they found who they could have some contrived basis of charges on to accuse them of vandalism,’ Hearn said.
This is a breaking news story.
