The iconic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a centerpiece of Washington D.C.’s National Mall stretching more than 2,000 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, is scheduled to be drained for a second time just weeks after a $16 million renovation project wrapped up. The sudden new round of repairs comes after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly blamed unknown vandals for causing the wide range of issues that have derailed the recently finished upgrade.
In a series of public comments starting Monday, Trump outlined multiple alleged acts of sabotage against the landmark. He initially claimed perpetrators had left a 300-foot gash in the pool’s structure, illegally dumped chemicals into the water, and destroyed newly planted surrounding grass. By that afternoon, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he revised the size of the reported cut to 350 feet, adding that unconfirmed reports suggested fertilizer may have been introduced to the water – a move that would explain the rampant algal growth that has turned the pool’s once-clear water bright green. The president did not provide any evidence to back his claims of deliberate vandalism, nor did he name any individuals or groups he suspected of involvement.
Even before Trump’s allegations of sabotage, the newly renovated pool had already begun to show significant problems. The deep blue paint that Trump specified for the pool’s bottom has started peeling off in large sections, which are now floating to the surface and being removed by visiting tourists. National Park Service crews have already attempted to curb the algal bloom by pouring hydrogen peroxide into the water, but the efforts have not resolved the discoloration issue. This is not the first time the Reflecting Pool, originally constructed in the 1920s, has faced long-term problems: for decades, the landmark has struggled with persistent leaks, structural decay, broken piping, algal overgrowth and bird waste buildup. Previous large-scale renovations carried out during the Obama and Biden administrations cost more than $100 million total, per Trump’s claims, and never resolved the ongoing issues.
The District of Columbia Water Authority confirmed Monday that it has issued the necessary permit to drain the pool for repairs. The contractor that completed the original renovation has stated it will cover the cost of all new fixes under the project’s warranty. Both the DC Water Authority and the National Park Service have been contacted for additional comment by major media outlets, with no additional statements released as of yet.
Trump has echoed aggressive threats from Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who has pledged to vigorously prosecute anyone found responsible for damaging the pool. In a post to his Truth Social platform Monday, the president warned that intentional damage (or even attempted damage) to national landmarks carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence, and that this penalty will be fully enforced against any perpetrator.
In addition to his pursuit of vandals, Trump also announced that his administration is preparing to file a lawsuit against ABC News over the outlet’s reporting on the Reflecting Pool issues. The president argued that ABC’s coverage was inaccurate, claiming the network failed to report that previous Democratic administrations spent more than $100 million on renovations that never produced a working, well-maintained pool. He asserted that his own $16 million project was delivered successfully, and that any current problems stem solely from vandalism, adding that the scope of his administration’s renovation ended up being far larger than initially planned, covering surrounding green spaces and sidewalks as well. Trump also said any financial damages awarded in the lawsuit against ABC would be directed straight to the U.S. Treasury. ABC News has been contacted for comment on the threatened lawsuit but has not yet issued a response.