President Donald Trump said additional suspects have been arrested in connection with alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, stating the damage includes a 250-foot gash and corrosive chemicals that could require extensive repairs.
Reflecting Pool Vandalism Arrests
On Saturday, in a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump said law enforcement had made multiple arrests tied to what he described as the vandalism of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.
Earlier in the day, Trump wrote that the “United States Park Police have arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Pool.”
He added, “These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail!”
Hours later, Trump wrote, “Many additional people have been arrested having to do with the disgraceful Vandalism of our beautiful Reflecting Pool.”
According to the president, the damage went beyond earlier reports of destroyed grass.
He alleged that vandals “took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250-foot-long gash into the beautiful facade” of the pool and “poured corrosive and destructive chemicals into the Pool.”
Trump said officials met with contractors to assess the damage and may need to drain a significant portion of the water to complete repairs.
He also called the alleged vandalism “a true affront to both Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.”
Reflecting Pool Renovation Shows Early Damage
Paint was seen peeling and algae buildup appeared in the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Thursday, just days after Trump announced the $14.7 million project’s completion.
The National Park Service had drained and refinished the historic pool under a no-bid contract, but crews soon returned to treat an algae bloom after the water turned green instead of blue.
Earlier, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the effort wasteful, labeling it a “new swamp” and questioning the use of taxpayer funds.
Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) criticized Trump for focusing on the renovation amid rising gas prices.
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