Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Interior Secretary Burgum claimed vandals damaged Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool — On July 5, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum made rounds of Sunday talk shows claiming that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool—including gashes totaling the 350 feet Trump claims—was caused by vandals and that video evidence exists. When CNN's Dana Bash asked whether the administration had photographs of people cutting the pool's liner, Burgum deflected from the question.

Supporting reports

• Trump falsely claimed vandals damaged reflecting pool — On Friday night and Saturday morning, Trump posted on social media that "Radical Left Lunatics" and "Dumocrats" had vandalized the reflecting pool, claiming vandals used "some form of a knife or blade" to create a "250 foot long gash" and poured "corrosive and destructive chemicals" into the water. He stated multiple people had been arrested for vandalism. However, no evidence of such vandalism was offered, multiple cameras line the mall, and workers were visibly dumping hydrogen peroxide into the pool to kill algae caused by the failed renovation.
• Trump announces immediate repair work on Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool — President Trump announced on Sunday that repair work would begin "immediately" on the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington DC, which has suffered algae blooms and peeling paint following a $14.2 million renovation. Trump blamed vandals for the damage, claiming five people had been arrested and another five issued federal citations. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that those caught vandalizing would face criminal prosecution. Trump stated the pool would likely need to be drained for repairs.
• Algae bloom returned to Reflecting Pool — The Atlantic reported that after the Interior Department claimed to have "killed the algae" in the Reflecting Pool, a new type of algae—Scenedesmus, a green algae nicknamed "Skinny Dead Mouse" by scientists—began flourishing. The treatments being used (hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble technology) were more effective against blue-green algae and were not discouraging the new green algae growth. Scientists noted that the decision to paint the pool bottom a deep blue shade raised water temperature and accelerated algae growth.
• Reflecting Pool coating peeling and failing — The New York Times reported that the Reflecting Pool's new coating was failing, with large chunks peeling off the basin. The coating was missing at least two large sections, with one gap about the size of a park bench and a sheet several inches long flapping in the waves. The underlying original concrete basin was visible beneath the peeling coating. The pool's appearance was described as "rejecting its makeover."
• Trump blamed vandals for Reflecting Pool damage in third post — Trump posted on Truth Social for the third time about the Reflecting Pool, stating: "Work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool. I just inspected it, and could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing? SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE! We will fix it?" Trump blamed unidentified vandals rather than acknowledging responsibility for the failed project.
• Trump described alleged Reflecting Pool vandalism in detail — Trump posted on Truth Social describing alleged vandalism of the Reflecting Pool in detail, claiming vandals had used "some form of knife or blade" to create a 250-foot gash in the pool's facade and had poured "corrosive and destructive chemicals" into the pool. Trump characterized the damage as an affront to the work and money invested in the project.
• Trump announced additional arrests for Reflecting Pool vandalism — Trump posted on Truth Social that many additional people had been arrested for vandalism of the Reflecting Pool. Trump characterized the vandalism as "disgraceful" and "a true affront to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln." Trump stated that contractors would likely be forced to drain much of the water to complete repairs.
• Trump blamed Antifa for Reflecting Pool damage and announced arrests — Trump posted on Truth Social that US Park Police arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial. Trump blamed the vandalism on Antifa and announced that work would begin immediately on repairs. Trump claimed vandals had created a 250-foot gash in the pool's facade and poured corrosive chemicals into the water.
• Trump blamed Antifa for Reflecting Pool vandalism — Trump posted on Truth Social that the US Park Police arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing the Reflecting Pool and blamed the vandalism on Antifa. Trump claimed vandals had created a 250-foot gash in the pool's facade and poured corrosive chemicals into the water. Trump announced that work would begin immediately on repairs and that those responsible would face years in jail.
• Trump Blames Vandalism for Reflecting Pool Issues — Following the completion of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovations, President Trump claimed on June 20, 2026, that "Radical Left Lunatics" were responsible for vandalism at the site, despite no evidence being presented. He suggested that serious crimes had occurred, which he attributed to multiple individuals.
• Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool maintenance escalates amid controversy — The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool situation escalated, with reports of a foul smell and President Trump blaming "vandals" for the pool's condition. The controversy centers on the maintenance and cleanliness of the iconic national monument, with Trump attributing the problem to vandalism rather than administrative failure.
• Trump blamed vandalism for Reflecting Pool damage and threatened 10-year prison sentences — Trump posted on Truth Social claiming the Reflecting Pool's damage—including a 300-foot gash, chemical contamination, and an "86 47" carved into the grass—resulted from vandalism, not construction failure. He threatened 10-year prison sentences for destruction of federal monuments and stated five people were under investigation. Civil engineers and coating specialists disputed this, attributing the damage to improper surface preparation, adhesion failure, and inadequate curing time by Trump's contractor.
• Trump blamed "SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE" for Reflecting Pool damage — Trump doubled down on claims that vandalism by "SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE" caused the Reflecting Pool's problems. Administration officials stationed National Guard personnel around the Reflecting Pool and appeared to be issuing citations to individuals who touched the water. When questioned about the project's cost escalation from one million dollars in April to sixteen and a half million dollars two months later, Trump deflected by attacking former President Obama's prior repairs to the pool.
• Trump announced false claims of vandalism at the Reflecting Pool with escalating damage estimates — Trump claimed vandals had damaged the Reflecting Pool with a "gash" that he described as growing from 250 feet to 350 feet in length, allegedly using sharp implements and chemicals. He threatened 10-year prison sentences for the destruction and claimed to possess photographic evidence. No evidence of sabotage exists, and cameras monitor the pool. The Interior Department subsequently placed fencing around the Reflecting Pool in response to Trump's claims.
• Trump posted false claims about Reflecting Pool vandalism and spending history — Trump posted on Truth Social claiming six people were arrested and seven cited for vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, describing a "350 foot gash" made by knife or razors. He also claimed Obama and Biden spent over $100 million on the pool that "never worked" and that he spent $16 million to make it "come out great." The article notes Obama and Biden did not spend anything close to $100 million on the pool. Trump also announced plans to sue ABC News for $16 million in alleged past bad reporting.
• Trump claims vandalism at DC reflecting pool; acknowledges July 4 repair deadline may not be met — President Trump acknowledged that repairs to the algae-stricken Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool may not be completed before July 4, when he plans a major 250th birthday celebration on the National Mall. Trump claimed without evidence that vandals with knives damaged the pool, stating six people had been arrested and seven cited. National Park Service documents reviewed by the New York Times indicated damage was discovered days after the pool was refilled on June 5, but did not link it to the algae outbreak or the blue coating. The pool's renovation, ordered by the Trump administration at $14.2 million, has become emblematic of broader concerns about wasteful spending.
• Interior Department spokesperson attributes pool damage to "leftist activists" without evidence — Katie Martin, an Interior Department spokesperson, told the Associated Press that fencing erected around the reflecting pool was brought forward due to an "increase in vandalism by leftist activists." She offered no evidence to support this characterization. The fencing had been originally scheduled for installation ahead of the Fourth of July but was accelerated following Trump's initial insistence that vandals were responsible for the pool's deterioration.
• Trump claims sabotage at Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool without substantiating evidence — President Trump alleged that vandals deliberately damaged the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool's lining with a "350-foot gash," claiming it was done "criminally" and "in the dark of night." He posted an image on Truth Social purporting to show the pool before refilling and promised the Department of the Interior would release photographic and video evidence. As of Wednesday afternoon, no such evidence had materialized. The New York Times obtained government documents indicating peeling paint and algae blooms were not intentionally caused. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal requested documents from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and National Park Service acting director Jessica Bowron, citing "blatant corruption" and "lack of transparency."
• White House issues release on Reflecting Pool vandalism incident — The White House issued a promotional release characterizing vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as a deliberate "targeted sabotage" by "anti-American" actors. The release states that surveillance video captured suspects, at least seven individuals have been arrested, seven others issued federal citations, and 18 police reports filed. It claims the Trump Administration deployed "advanced nanobubble ozone technology" to neutralize algae and repair damage. The release frames the incident as vindication of the President's prior statements and criticizes media coverage.