President Donald TrumpThe multimillion-dollar makeover of one of Washington DC’s most iconic landmarks is coming under scrutiny after reports surfaced that the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is already showing signs of major deterioration. Instead of blaming the restoration itself, Donald Trump, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, points to a completely different culprit: alleged vandals.
President Donald Trump is pointing the finger at alleged vandals after a costly renovation project at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool appeared to hit major snags.
In a post shared on Truth social, Trump defended the administration’s efforts to restore and beautify Washington, D.C., while claiming that the iconic monument had recently been targeted by individuals seeking to damage the project.
“We have cleaned, renovated and beautified more than 45 monuments and memorials, 28 statues and 22 fountains in Washington DC,” Trump wrote. “However, we have had some real problems with vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which is between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.”
Trump claimed that vandals damaged the newly laid grass around the pool and attempted to destroy parts of the newly renovated interior.
A multi-million dollar renovation faces unexpected problems
The controversy comes after Trump ordered an estimated $15 million renovation of the Reflecting Pool ahead of America’s upcoming 250th birthday.
According to reports, the project was intended to address long-standing maintenance issues, including persistent algae growth that had turned the water an unattractive shade of green. Instead, new problems quickly emerged after the work was completed.
Reports from The New York Times described areas of the pool’s coating peeling from the bottom, leaving visible spots and chunks of material in the water. The deterioration led to questions about whether the renovation itself was successful, with some visitors expressing frustration with the condition of the monument.
Donald Trump accuses ABC reporter of swimming pool damage
While addressing the ongoing issues, Trump also took aim at ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl. “Lightweight ABC reporter Jonathan Karl was seen reaching into the pool and attempting to rip the rubber from the surface,” Trump claimed, though he provided no evidence to support the accusation.
He also alleged that chemicals were used to damage parts of the project, although officials have not publicly identified any suspects or released information confirming vandalism as the cause of the deterioration.
Democratic senator calls Reflecting Pool project an ’embarrassing waste’
The controversy has also drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who question how a multimillion-dollar renovation could create problems so soon after completion. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon denounced the project in a post on X, accusing the government of wasting taxpayer money.
“You can’t make this stuff up: After complaining about waste, fraud and abuse, the Trump administration spent $14 million on a reflecting pool that is now peeling and chock full of algae,” Merkley wrote. “I urgently need answers to this embarrassing waste of resources.”
The criticism comes as questions continue to arise about whether the pool’s deteriorating condition stems from vandalism, construction issues or ongoing environmental challenges. Despite documenting visible algae growth in and around the pool, the Department of the Interior has downplayed the issue and dismissed concerns, even though Washington DC’s hot and humid summer weather creates ideal conditions for algae to spread.
Critics call the project a ‘complete failure’
As the debate over the cause of the damage continues, some observers are wondering whether the renovation itself is to blame. “They’ve been here for days,” food delivery worker Alex Hobe said The New York Times while observing repair crews working near the site. From his perspective, the expensive restoration was “a complete failure.”
Despite the criticism, Trump emphasized that the situation is being addressed and claimed that much of the algae problem has already been solved. “The algae is 75% gone and the condition will soon be completely resolved,” he wrote, adding that the damaged areas would be repaired in the coming days.
President Donald Trump further claimed that “Radical Left Lunatics” were likely responsible for the damage, although he provided no evidence linking any individual or group to the reported vandalism.
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