JUNE 20, 2026
Trump says Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was vandalized; law enforcement investigating amid peeling paint and algae concerns
President Trump posted on Truth Social Friday claiming the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool had been intentionally vandalized and said law enforcement is actively investigating. The claim followed visible deterioration of the pool's newly installed blue-painted surface, including peeling material and algae growth, just weeks after the completion of a renovation project. Trump said the vandalized area is small and will be repaired by early the following week.
President Trump's Friday night post on Truth Social declared that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool had been vandalized, citing what he described as chemicals used to damage its newly installed surface. Trump also said 75% of algae that had appeared in the pool had been removed and that repairs to the affected area would be completed early the following week. He stated law enforcement is actively investigating.
The renovation in question cost $14.7 million, according to CNN, citing a contract summary of the Interior Department's award to Atlantic Industrial Coatings — up from an initial estimate of $1.8 million. Fox News reported the figure as $14.8 million, citing the project's completion announcement Trump made on June 6. The pool's bottom was painted "American flag blue" and the pool was refilled as part of the project.
Days before Trump's vandalism post, algae appeared throughout the pool, covering portions of the newly painted bottom. The National Park Service and contractors subsequently deployed chemicals and ozone nanobubbles to address the growth, and workers used a swimming pool-style vacuum system to remove algae. The Park Service stated there are "no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment," according to Fox News.