politics
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Drained for Knife Damage Repair; Four Charged
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., was emptied on July 14, 2026, to address cuts and slashes attributed to vandals. Four people face federal charges, including Olympian David Hearn.
Jul 14, 2:58 PM·1m read6 sources
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Repair procedureVandalism claim
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The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, to repair cuts and slashes in its basin. President Donald Trump stated on social media that the damage occurred two weeks earlier when vandals cut the floor and pulled sections upward with great force, creating 300-yard slashes.
More than $14 million has been spent on renovations to the pool since the project began in April 2026.
The National Park Service reported last month that the damage was inflicted by a sharp knife. The Justice Department has charged four people with vandalizing the pool, which Trump had painted American flag blue. U.S.
Olympian David Hearn is among those charged and entered a not guilty plea last week. Trump posted on Monday that the Parks Department emptied the water to fix the water-tight basin and that it will be refilled soon. He added that the vandals should pay a big price for the damage.
The service and the president have not shared evidence supporting the vandalism claims. On the same day the pool was drained, Trump met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in the Oval Office. The meeting marked al-Zaidi's first foreign trip since taking office in May 2026.
