President Donald Trump announced Monday that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will be “put back into service soon” after it was drained over the weekend for what he described as repairs tied to vandalism. The pool, which underwent a controversial renovation completed just last month, has been plagued by peeling paint and algae growth—issues the administration attributes to sabotage rather than construction defects.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump claimed that “thugs” had inflicted 300-yard-long slashes in the pool’s base, forcing the drainage. He wrote, “We drained the beautiful ‘Reflecting Pool’ today in order to fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals two weeks ago.” The president added that officials waited until after the Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall to begin the work.
The White House’s renovation project, which cost millions of dollars, has drawn scrutiny over no-bid contracts and technical failures, including an algae bloom and the peeling of the pool’s “American flag Blue” coating. Trump has pushed back against criticism, insisting the problems stem from deliberate acts. “These Country hating sleazebags should pay a big price for the damage done. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he wrote.
Law enforcement has arrested several individuals and issued federal citations for alleged vandalism to the pool. Former Olympian David Hearn pleaded not guilty last week to a vandalism charge related to the incident. Authorities have not confirmed the extent of the damage or whether it matches Trump’s description of coordinated sabotage.
The president also took aim at ABC News anchor David Muir, accusing him of covering the pool’s troubles as “FAKE NEWS.” Trump claimed that the algae bloom was “also caused by Vandals” and has since been remedied. “In other words, the story was FAKE NEWS, but heavily slanted away from the real cause of the problem, Vandalism,” he wrote. “It will be fixed soon, and better than ever.”
The reflecting pool’s woes come amid a broader push by the Trump administration to renovate national landmarks in the capital, a effort that has sparked debate over priorities and oversight. Critics argue the project’s rushed timeline and lack of competitive bidding contributed to the problems, while the White House maintains that external actors are to blame.
Meanwhile, Trump has continued to focus on other political battles, including renewed tensions with Iran over the Hormuz blockade and landmark designations in Utah. The pool’s repair timeline remains uncertain, but the president’s assurances suggest a swift resolution is expected.
