Donald Trump said Monday that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool had been drained so crews could repair damage he claimed was caused by “sleazebag” vandals.
The work comes after a pool renovation, completed just last month, was followed by an algae bloom and visible sections of the new surface coating appearing to lift from the bottom.
Trump has attributed the peeling to vandalism, noting that several people have been arrested in connection with the incident, while critics have argued the problem may stem from poor repair work.
The president announced earlier Monday on Truth Social that a major repair effort was now underway.
“We drained the beautiful ‘Reflecting Pool’ today in order to fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals two weeks ago,” he wrote.
Trump said he had chosen to hold off on the work until after the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
He claimed the cuts stretched “300 yards long” and said the pool floor “was cut and then pulled upward” by what he described as “thugs.”
He added that the Parks Department had drained the pool and would refill it soon, while issuing a warning to those he believes were responsible for the damage.
Donald Trump confirmed that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained Monday to fix the scars he claimed have been put there by ‘sleazebag’ vandals
A worker stands in the middle of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which is being drained for a second time in three months for more repairs
‘These Country hating sleazebags should pay a big price for the damage done.’
Trump also slammed ABC News anchor David Muir for furthering the theory that the repairs were to fix ‘peeling paint’ and ‘algae blooms.’
‘There is no paint, it was slashed with a knife, or box cutter, high grade colored waterproofing liner – it was VANDALISM!’
The work on the Reflecting Pool is just one of a number of projects Trump has spearheaded across the nation’s capital.
Most prominently, he demolished the White House´s East Wing to build a $400million ballroom and plans to build a towering arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
He initially announced his intentions to beautify the Reflecting Pool this spring, saying he wanted it completed before the nation´s 250th birthday celebrations.
Water was drained and Trump directed that the bottom be painted what he called ‘American flag blue.’
In May, the president posted on his social media site of the pool: ‘The goal is to have it done, at this higher level, prior to July 4th – We are ahead of schedule!’
Algae floats on the surface of the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial, seen through a fence as it rains
But problems began quickly after the initial work was finished. Trump blamed vandals, and court documents later showed that the National Park Service reported to the US Park Police a June 9 incident in which a sharp knife or razor cut the pool´s new liner.
On Thursday, former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn pleaded not guilty in DC Superior Court to deliberately damaging the Reflecting Pool.
Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine the peeled sealant and let go of a chunk when he was told to by a park worker.
His attorneys and other Trump administration critics have derided the case as an abuse of prosecutorial power and maintain he is being scapegoated for the poor job done fixing up the Reflecting Pool.
At least three other people have been charged in the same court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of paint from the Reflecting Pool, according to online court records.
All three pleaded not guilty during their initial court appearances Wednesday.
The pool was closed for the Independence Day celebration, which featured what Trump said was the largest fireworks display in the world.
However, damage to the pool is allegedly common and dates back to before Hearn’s attack, according to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
Trump also slammed ABC News anchor David Muir (pictured) for furthering the theory that the repairs were to fix ‘peeling paint’ and ‘algae blooms’
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What do you think is really behind the chaos at the Reflecting Pool—vandalism, poor repairs, or politics?
Burgum, who has been charge of many of Trump’s programs to beautify Washington, blamed the destruction on a lack of visuals on any potential vandals.
‘We had very few or no cameras at the beginning because we have cameras over our monuments,’ he told Katie Miller on her podcast.
‘The Reflecting Pool is part of the Lincoln Memorial but there had never been vandalism on this, uh, you know, helpless harmless Reflecting Pool, until he decided to beautify it, and then others decided it was a point of attack.’
Burgum said the vandalism had started as early as June 9, even before Hearn’s alleged attack.
However, he said that the Department of the Interior ‘didn’t advertise’ the vandalism because they didn’t want copycats.
Burgum has also said that the Trump administration won’t seek bids for the new rounds of repairs. He told CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ last weekend: ‘We´ll use the same company because they did a fantastic job.’
Ohio-based Green Water Solutions, also known as Greenwater Services, was given a $1.7million contract to install a water-purification system in the Reflecting Pool, while Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings was awarded $14.7million to repaint and waterproof the pool´s concrete floor.
Democratic senators and House members are investigating the pool project, including seeking answers about how much taxpayer funding is involved.
