Donald Trump has reported that six individuals have been apprehended for allegedly causing harm to the recently renovated $14 million Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The renovation, marred by issues, risks overshadowing America’s upcoming 250th anniversary festivities.
The US president has attributed the damage to vandals, pointing out a significant 350-foot gash in the fresh paintwork. He mentioned on social media that the federal government plans to release images of the purported damage as authorities rush to complete repairs before the upcoming celebrations.
The renovation project involved draining the century-old Reflecting Pool and painting its base in a color Trump named “American flag blue.” However, the endeavor has faced challenges such as algae growth and visible peeling of the newly applied coating.
While Trump has consistently blamed the peeling paint and substandard workmanship on vandalism, he has not presented any concrete evidence to support these assertions. He contended that the damage was intentional and criminal, suggesting that individuals had meticulously orchestrated the destruction under the cover of darkness.
The president alleged that the damage was caused by sharp tools, resulting in numerous slashes along the 350-foot length of the pool. Subsequently, one individual was arrested by the Associated Press after touching the peeling paint, although the intent was merely to inspect the coating.
National Guard members and Park Police have increased patrols in the area following Trump’s insistence that vandals were responsible for the damage. Trump mentioned that the Department of the Interior would share evidence of the alleged vandalism through photos and videos.
In a separate claim, Trump insinuated that fertiliser might have been introduced into the pool, causing algae growth. However, there is no substantiated evidence to support this assertion. Efforts to address the algae issue have involved the application of hydrogen peroxide into the pool.
Experts have raised concerns about the potential effects of hydrogen peroxide acting as a paint remover and the dark-colored pool lining potentially exacerbating the algae problem by absorbing more heat.