President Donald Trump said repairs may be needed at the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, blaming alleged vandalism for damage that could require draining much of the water.
In a post on Saturday on Truth Social, Trump said he met with contractors and indicated that extensive work may be necessary to address what he described as damage caused by vandals. He said repairs would be completed as quickly as possible and added that several people had been arrested in connection with the incidents.
Trump alleged that one act involved corrosive chemicals being poured into the pool, although he offered no evidence to support the claim. As of Saturday, the U.S. Park Police, the Interior Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia had not publicly commented on the allegations.
The Reflecting Pool reopened earlier this month following a $14.7 million renovation project announced by Trump on June 6. Soon after the reopening, crews had to treat an algae bloom that turned the water green rather than the dark blue appearance sought during the restoration. Workers used hydrogen peroxide to combat the problem.
Additional issues surfaced this week when paint applied to the bottom of the pool began peeling and floating into the water.
The restoration is part of Trump’s broader effort to reshape landmarks and public spaces in the nation’s capital ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Those plans also include construction of a ballroom adjacent to the White House and a large memorial arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, stretching more than one-third of a mile between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, is one of the nation’s most recognizable landmarks and has served as the backdrop for major historical events, including the 1963 March on Washington.
Officials have not announced when any additional repairs might begin or how long they would take.
Source: Reuters
So, Mr. Trump declares that it is “vandalism” that caused the destruction of the reflecting pool? Who is the true “vandal” of this story? It will not be the 3-time Olympian or others they arrested. Just a thought, maybe bleach should be injected to clean it up?
Please note comment from a NYT reader:
George S
New York, NY ·
June 21
“The Interior Department, various workers and the company involved have jointly participated in various “solutions” to this debacle, including various chemical treatments, even, reportedly at the urging of Trump, large quantities of hydrogen peroxide. Numerous photos have workers vacuuming and brushing the pool interior. Yet apparently none of that did any damage whatsoever, just some random dude riding by on his bike and touching floating debris. As usual in so many Trump “crimes” the phrase “without evidence” rears its far too familiar head…”