Trump blames vandalism for algae and peeling paint at reflecting pool

Donald Trump blamed vandalism for problems at the reflecting pool between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that workers had cleaned and renovated dozens of monuments, statues and fountains in Washington. He said the reflecting pool had suffered real problems from vandalism after a $14.2 million project that painted the basin American flag blue.

He pointed to the number 86 47 etched into grass nearby and said people had tried to damage the new surface inside the pool. Trump alleged that vandals used chemicals similar to those applied on the National Mall.

In a later post, Trump claimed U.S. Park Police had arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing the pool. He called the acts serious crimes against national monuments and said those responsible could face years in jail. He added that work on repairs would begin immediately.

Trump also said the algae problem was largely under control, with 75 percent gone and the rest soon to be fixed. He said law enforcement was investigating.

The Department of the Interior did not respond to a request for comment.

A three-time U.S. Olympian and canoeist, David Hearn, was arrested Friday after he reached into the water to touch a loose piece of the blue liner. Hearn told the Washington Post he did not damage or peel anything.

Trump ordered the renovation ahead of the country’s 250th birthday. Days after the work ended, an algae bloom turned the water green. National Park Service crews used skimmers and added hydrogen peroxide to treat it.

The Interior Department said advanced nanobubbler technology had killed the algae and crews were vacuuming up the remains. Much of the water stayed murky, however, and large flakes of paint floated on the surface.

Laboratory tests commissioned by The Atlantic identified the algae as Scenedesmus, a type of green algae.

The New York Times reported that the Trump administration awarded a no-bid contract for a water-purification system to a company linked to a longtime supporter of the president.