President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will be drained again for "permanent repair" around the Fourth of July, and stated that six people have been arrested for alleged damage to the site. The pool has experienced issues with algae and peeling paint in the period following renovations that cost over $16 million.
Trump indicated on social media that large sections of grass surrounding the pool are being replaced. He also stated the administration plans to drain some water either just before or after the Fourth of July to complete the permanent repairs. Trump has attributed the Reflecting Pool's problems to vandalism, though he has not presented evidence to support this claim.
"Six people have been arrested, and seven people have been cited, for the damage they did to our Country's now beautiful Reflecting Pool," Trump wrote in his post. He described a "350 foot gash" as being "numerous slashes over a very long 350 foot length," and a section at the bottom of the pool that was "cut and powerfully lifted off the surface leaving very jagged, uneven edges," adding that the damage was "purposefully and criminally done."
During an event in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump directed inquiries about ongoing investigations into alleged damages to the Interior Department and the Parks Department, without offering his own evidence. Representatives from the Interior Department and the U.S. Park Police have not provided evidence of the alleged vandalism when contacted. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also stated on Monday evening during a Fox News interview that the number of vandalism-related arrests had risen to six. Earlier that day, an Interior Department spokesperson reported five arrests for vandalism, five federal citations, and 14 related police reports.
The Reflecting Pool, which was built in the 1920s, has a history of algae and leaks. Previous renovation efforts were undertaken during former President Barack Obama's administration, costing approximately $35 million.