Trump Blames Vandals as Reflecting Pool Turns Green
The newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., has turned bright green just weeks after a $14.8 million restoration ordered by President Donald Trump was completed, prompting the president to claim without evidence that vandals used chemicals to sabotage the project. The iconic pool, which stretches between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, now features peeling blue paint, floating algae, and a cleanup operation that has drawn National Guard personnel and sparked a national debate over the renovation’s methods and costs.
The Renovation and Its Problems
Trump announced on June 6 that the restoration project was complete, sharing what he called “stunning photos” of the pool’s newly painted “American flag blue” bottom, as Fox News reported. The president had ordered the pool’s concrete basin painted a vivid blue shade, a color choice that drew comparisons to a swimming pool rather than a historic national landmark.
Within days, however, an algae bloom turned the water an unmistakable green. The National Park Service deployed chemicals, hydrogen peroxide, and ozone nanobubbler technology to combat the growth, while workers used swimming pool-style vacuums to remove algae from the basin. Large flakes of blue paint have also been observed peeling from the pool’s floor and floating on the surface.
Trump’s Vandalism Claim
On June 19, Trump posted on Truth Social that vandals had used chemicals to damage the pool’s newly installed surface, according to The Guardian. “No different than the chemicals that were used on the National Mall, they used something similar in the Reflecting Pool to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work,” Trump wrote.
The president’s claim echoes a recent incident on June 11, when the numbers “86 47” were etched into the grass of the National Mall. “86” is slang for removing or discarding something, while “47” refers to Trump as the 47th president. The Trump administration characterized that act as a threatening message.
No public evidence has been presented to support Trump’s vandalism allegation. The Department of the Interior did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the president’s statement, and law enforcement has reportedly opened an investigation.
The Science Behind the Green
Laboratory testing commissioned by The Atlantic identified the algae as Scenedesmus, a common genus of green algae nicknamed “Skinny Dead Mouse” by scientists. The finding suggests the bloom is a natural phenomenon rather than a toxic cyanobacterial event, and experts note that the Reflecting Pool has historically been prone to algae growth due to its shallow depth, warm summer temperatures, and nutrient content.
According to the Atlantic’s reporting, efforts to suppress one type of algae may have created conditions for another to flourish. The Interior Department claimed on social media that “advanced nanobubbler technology” had “very effectively killed the algae,” comparing the cleanup to “the destroyed Iranian Navy resting on the bottom of the Persian Gulf.”
No-Bid Contract Controversy
The renovation has also drawn scrutiny over its contracting process. CBS News reported that a company owned by longtime Trump supporter J.J. Cafaro was awarded a $1.7 million no-bid contract to install a water purification system in the pool. Cafaro, who has donated extensively to Trump’s campaigns and pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations in 2010, told a local newspaper that Trump “doesn’t know a thing about” his company’s work on the project.
The contract was awarded under a rule designed for projects of “unusual and compelling urgency,” with the government citing the need to complete work before the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations on July 4. A separate $14.7 million no-bid contract was given to a Virginia-based company to install the pool’s sealant.
Olympian Arrested
Adding a human dimension to the controversy, three-time U.S. Olympic cyclist David Hearn was arrested on June 19 on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property. Hearn told The Washington Post that he had noticed a detached piece of the pool’s blue liner and reached into the water to feel it. “I didn’t vandalize anything,” Hearn said. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”
Political Reactions
The incident has become a flashpoint in an already polarized political climate. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the former Democratic vice presidential candidate, wrote on X: “Found an imaginary problem, said only they could fix it, didn’t listen to experts, hired buddies who grifted millions, failed miserably, bragged how great it went. The entire Trump presidency in a nutshell.”
Trump, meanwhile, has framed the episode as part of a broader effort to revitalize the nation’s capital. In his Truth Social post, he noted that his administration has “cleaned, renovated, and beautified over 45 Monuments and Memorials, 28 Statues, and 22 Fountains” in Washington, D.C.
What’s Next
The National Park Service continues cleanup operations, and Trump has stated that the algae is “75% gone” and that the damaged area will be repaired early next week. With the July 4 celebrations approaching, the race is on to restore the pool to its intended appearance. The episode has raised broader questions about the long-term maintenance plan for the century-old landmark and whether the renovation methods were appropriate for a historically significant site.
Law enforcement’s investigation into Trump’s vandalism claim remains ongoing, and no suspects have been publicly identified.