Defective liner peels at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, algae returns

National Guard members and U.S. Park Police patrolled the deck around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday. The patrols occurred as the Trump administration works to address damage to the pool's liner ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration.

The liner was installed as part of a project costing more than $14 million. President Trump selected an American flag blue coating for the liner. Within weeks of declaring the rehabilitation completed in time for Independence Day, the water developed a vivid green algae bloom.

A piece of liner about 4 square feet was observed partially floating in the pool on Friday. The Associated Press saw additional pieces in the water on Monday. Contractors and federal workers have used chemicals and ozone nanobubbles in recent days to combat the algae.

President Trump stated on Monday at an executive order signing that five people had been arrested and five more were under suspicion. He said without substantiation that vandals dumped fertilizer in the pool and slashed the coating with a box cutter.

Trump also asserted on Truth Social that intentional damages include a 300-foot-long gash and that chemicals have been illegally placed in the water.

"I can’t help it if somebody goes in with a knife and starts hacking it up," President Trump said. The White House stated that damaged areas of the liner are still being assessed. David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, a former Olympic canoe racer, was detained by National Guard troops and Park Police for five hours before being released Friday night.

Hearn told the Associated Press he reached into the pool to examine the peeling coating and briefly touched a chunk that was still attached. "It was very rubbery," he said. The Park Police did not immediately respond to questions about how many arrests were made and whether any charges had been filed.