Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent allegations regarding vandalism at the Washington DC reflecting pool have been refuted following the emergence of new evidence. Trump, 80, expressed his frustration on Truth Social after the pool near the Lincoln Memorial turned green due to an algal bloom, just days after undergoing a $14 million renovation.
The pool had been painted ‘American flag blue’ as part of the refurbishment, which is believed to have accelerated the growth of algae that has plagued the pool for several years. The peeling of this paint layer has led to some visitors playfully taking souvenirs from the pool.
Despite previous criticism of the pool’s condition under Joe Biden’s administration, Trump continues to blame vandalism for the recent issues. Efforts to address the algae problem involved the use of hydrogen peroxide, which inadvertently caused the paint to peel while the algae remains persistent.
Video footage captured ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl demonstrating the damage caused by the peeling paint, prompting Trump to accuse Karl of tampering with the pool. Ozone nanobubbles and other methods have been employed to clean the pool, with assurances from the National Park Service that these methods are environmentally safe.
In a separate development, Trump engaged in a public dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over alleged interactions at the G7 summit and Italy’s cooperation during the Iran conflict. The disagreement escalated following Trump’s claims of Meloni repeatedly seeking a photo with him at the summit, a narrative Meloni strongly denied, leading to diplomatic tensions between the two nations.