By Jackson Richman
Contributing Writer
President Donald Trump said six people have been arrested and seven others have been cited over allegedly causing damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
In a Tuesday post on Truth Social, Trump said that there was a 350-foot gash “made by a very sharp knife or razors.”
He said there were “actually numerous slashes over a very long 350-foot length.”
The president went on to say that the damage “was purposefully and criminally done, and somebody had to work very hard, probably in the dark of night, to create such a condition.”
Trump said that “the small area at the bottom of the pool was cut and powerfully lifted off the surface, leaving very jagged, uneven edges.”
Trump alleged in a Saturday post that vandals destroyed the grass around the pool and suggested that some even poured “corrosive and destructive chemicals into the pool.”
In his Tuesday post, he said the grass is being replaced and that some of the water will be drained “either immediately before or after the Fourth of July, to do the permanent repair.”
The Reflecting Pool was renovated in preparation for the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebration on July 4, following an order from Trump.
The project included repainting the pool’s surface blue.
However, recent issues have surfaced, including algal growth and sections of paint peeling away.
In a Sunday post on Truth Social, Trump said he personally inspected the pool and described it as having been “seriously vandalized.”
He expressed frustration at the damage, questioning who would be responsible and promising that repairs would be made.
That same day, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated on Fox News that several people had received citations for allegedly damaging the pool.
She warned that anyone caught vandalizing the site would face prosecution under the criminal justice system in Washington.
Pirro added that the administration is focused on making the nation’s capital both safer and more attractive.
She also noted that individuals found responsible for introducing substances into the water that may have caused algae growth could face more severe legal consequences.
Earlier, on Friday, Trump reported that approximately 75% of the algae had already been removed and said the remaining problem was expected to be resolved early the following week.
The Reflecting Pool measures 2,030 feet in length, 167 feet in width, and reaches a depth of 30 inches at its center.
In March, Trump announced that he and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were working to restore the pool near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, describing it as extremely dirty and criticizing the previous administration for not addressing the issue.
Trump has also announced plans to create a promenade linking the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.
The Lincoln Memorial, located at the western end of the National Mall, honors President Abraham Lincoln, who guided the United States through the Civil War, and overlooks the Reflecting Pool.
Aldgra Fredly contributed to this report.
