Trump Blames Vandals for Damaged National Mall Grass
President Donald Trump has blamed vandals for large swaths of dead grass on the National Mall near the World War II Memorial — the same spot where he had a stage built and hosted crowds for his July 4 celebration marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. The accusation, made in a social media post on Sunday without providing evidence, has drawn scrutiny from turf experts who say the damage is consistent with what you’d expect from a large summer event.
“Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalized World War II Monument and the vandalized Reflecting Pool, which will be opened again, and better than ever, shortly,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform, according to AP News. “Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!”
Experts Question the Vandalism Claim
The photo Trump posted shows a once-grassy area by the World War II Memorial, now patchy and brown across much of the sprawling turf. But the image matches what you’d expect to see with a large summer event, according to Penn State University turf professor John Kaminski.
“Nothing in the photograph clearly indicates vandalism. Jumping to that conclusion seems like a fairly large leap, although it is impossible to rule anything in or out,” Kaminski said.
Bradley S. Klein, a freelance journalist and golf course consultant, offered a more pointed assessment: “He sounds like every grumpy golfer who’s complaining about their golf course and actually has no idea what it takes to maintain it on a day-to-day basis.”
Photos from a streaming webcam atop the Washington Monument from the time of the event show a large bandstand and seating areas covering nearly the entire lawn Trump now says has been vandalized. AP photos from the days that followed showed workers removing the structures, revealing brown, damaged grass underneath.
The July 4 Celebration Context
That stretch of lawn is where a large stage was built and crowds gathered to hear from Trump and watch fireworks at the July 4 event celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary. Trump claimed without providing evidence that more than 400,000 people attended the event before a storm hit the area and delayed his remarks, as AP News reported.
Extreme heat also hit the area, with Washington setting an all-time record for July 4th when temperatures rose to 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.44 degrees Celsius). High temperatures forced organizers to shut down activities for several hours on July 3 and delay the start on July 4. Emergency personnel treated dozens of people for heat-related illnesses.
A Pattern of Vandalism Claims
Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to his renovation projects in the nation’s capital, often without evidence and sometimes despite opposing accounts from his own officials. This month, he lashed out at U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after her office concluded that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was the result of poor construction and not the work of vandals, as Trump claimed.
The Justice Department moved to drop charges against former Olympian David Hearn, who had been accused of deliberately damaging the Reflecting Pool. In a 20-page court filing, prosecutors said evidence showed the damage was the result of a botched installation by a contractor as well as “the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration,” according to AP News.
Trump publicly criticized Pirro, saying she “choked” and “folded like an umbrella” in moving to drop the charges, as AP News reported. The dismissal marked an embarrassing setback for a Justice Department that had billed the prosecution as accountability for damage at a Washington landmark that was a pet project of Trump.
The ‘86 47’ Markings and the WWII Memorial Case
On August 1, Trump posted a different photo of the same grassy area that appears to show the numbers “86 47” — which federal officials have said constitutes a threat against Trump, the 47th president — emblazoned into the grass. He cited it as evidence refuting Pirro’s conclusion, calling it “a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass.” Those numbers are not visible in the photo Trump posted on Sunday.
Separately, authorities on Friday announced an arrest in connection with vandalism at the World War II Memorial, after the words “Clean hands dirty $” were found painted on the monument and bubbles filled a fountain. Pirro said felony charges were being brought against Melissa L. Farris, 41, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, according to AP News.
Charging documents in that case make no mention of the grassy area Trump is highlighting in his new claims. Farris was released on her own recognizance by U.S. District Court Federal Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh, with conditions including staying away from the memorial and Washington, D.C., except for court or pretrial activities. She is due back for a pretrial hearing September 3.
What’s Next
The dispute over the damaged grass adds another chapter to an ongoing clash between Trump and Pirro over the condition of Washington’s most iconic landmarks. The Reflecting Pool remains drained and under repair, and the White House has not said when repairs will be completed or how much more they will cost.
As the administration continues its beautification projects across the capital, the question of who is responsible for damage to these sites — and whether the public accepts the explanations offered — remains a point of political contention. The BBC noted that the Reflecting Pool project, whose original budget was less than $2 million, was awarded to a contractor chosen by Trump himself without open bidding.
For now, the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior have not publicly responded to Trump’s latest vandalism claim about the grass. Messages seeking more information were left with both agencies.