Park Police arrest multiple people over Reflecting Pool damage, Trump says

The United States Park Police have arrested multiple people for allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, President Trump said Saturday.

"The United States Park Police have arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Poll (sic)," Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post. "Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail! Work will begin immediately on its repair."

Mr. Trump said Saturday night that the pool will likely need to be drained again for repairs.

David Hearn, a 67-year-old man from Bethesda, Maryland, said authorities arrested him and held him for five hours on Friday after he reached into the pool. Hearn, a former Olympic canoe racer, told The Associated Press he wanted to examine the new coating on the bottom that Mr. Trump had ordered installed. He said he touched a piece of the coating briefly before letting go when a park worker told him to stop. He was then detained by National Guard troops and Park Police.

"I'm a curious citizen," Hearn said. "I reached down to see what it felt like. It was very rubbery."

The Washington Post first reported on Hearn's arrest. He said he has a court date next month and is seeking legal help.

In a Truth Social post Friday night, Mr. Trump alleged that vandals had destroyed grass outside the pool and damaged the new surface inside. He did not provide evidence.

The Reflecting Pool has had leaks, algae and plumbing problems for years. In April, Mr. Trump began a project to fix the pool as part of preparations for the nation's 250th birthday. After the pool was resurfaced, algae appeared last week. Workers removed algae and added hydrogen peroxide to the water.

Mr. Trump said Friday that the algae was 75 percent gone and that damage from vandalism was limited to a small area that would be fixed early next week.

Mr. Trump also said someone had used chemicals in the pool similar to those used on the National Mall to damage the new surface.