President Trump recently responded to concerns over the condition of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, stating that the issues were not due to the recent $16.4 million renovation he ordered.
Green algae blooms and peeling polyurethane have been long-standing problems at the Reflecting Pool, which is situated between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. On Monday, Trump spoke to reporters, dismissing claims that the renovation was poorly executed.
According to Trump, the pool’s problems began because of vandalism. He suggested that individuals armed with knives and fertilizer targeted the pool, leading to algae growth and damage. “They put, somebody said, fertilizer in the water,” he explained. “If you put fertilizer in the water, you get algae. But somebody said they might have put fertilizer. They did something to create the algae.”
Regarding the polyurethane issue, Trump mentioned that vandals might have used knives or box cutters to slice strips of polyurethane, further damaging the pool. “I can’t help it if somebody goes in with a knife and starts hacking it up,” he remarked.
Katie Martin, spokesperson for the Interior Department—which includes the National Park Service—confirmed that authorities have taken action. Five individuals have been arrested for vandalism, while another five received citations.
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