Donald Trump has blamed “vandalism” for the algae bloom and peeling paint that have plagued Washington’s Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool just days after a $14.2m renovation — a makeover he promised would turn the water “American flag” blue.
Workers have been seen wading into the pool, skimming algae and pouring hydrogen peroxide, after the famously mirror-like surface turned green and the newly painted blue bottom started coming off in chunks. The renovation, ordered by Trump ahead of the nation's 250th birthday celebrations, was completed on June 6, according to The Sun. But within days, a long-standing algae problem returned, and paint began peeling in the water.
“Trump blames vandals for algae bloom and peeling paint after $14m reflecting pool renovation”
Despite his administration’s earlier insistence that the pool was “crystal clear”, the US president acknowledged “real problems” in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform on Friday night. “However, we’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial,” he wrote.
Trump claimed that “86 47” had been etched onto a vast patch of grass nearby — “86” being a restaurant industry term for “stop” or “get rid of something”, while Trump is the 47th president. Without providing evidence, he alleged that people had “used something similar in the Reflecting Pool to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work.” He also suggested law enforcement was “actively investigating this situation” and would “hopefully have it resolved soon.”
The president added that 75% of the algae had already been removed and the issue would “soon be completely remedied.” The Department of the Interior did not respond to a request for comment.
For Trump, the pool’s problems are an unwelcome distraction from his broader effort to recondition Washington’s monuments during his second term — an effort he boasted had “cleaned, renovated, and beautified over 45 Monuments and Memorials, 28 Statues, and 22 Fountains.” Yet as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, the water still bears a green hue, and workers are still scrubbing.