Trump Says Reflecting Pool Vandalism Will Require Partial Drainage for Repairs

President Trump said Saturday that vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has caused damage severe enough to require at least partial drainage for repairs. The president told reporters he had inspected the site and that work would begin immediately.

A senior administration official told CBS News that five people were arrested for vandalism and five others received citations on Saturday night. Fourteen police reports were filed, including one describing a 250-foot gash in the pool's facade. Trump also said several people had been arrested in connection with the alleged vandalism.

The pool, which stretches 2,030 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, received a multi-million-dollar renovation earlier this month that included a new coat of blue paint. Sections of that paint have since peeled, and the water has turned green with algae.

A George Mason University professor sampled the water on June 16 and identified the algae as Desmodesmus, describing it as absolutely harmless to people or animals. " — U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., June 2026 (Fox News) A news photographer observed a dead duckling floating in the pool over the weekend, though the cause of death remains unclear.

The professor noted that constant monitoring is required because birds could introduce other algae species carrying harmful bacteria.