Blue paint peels and algae returns after Reflecting Pool refill

Days after crews refilled and repainted the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, blue paint began peeling and algae kept reappearing, triggering renewed disruptions over the Father’s Day weekend and arrests tied to allegations of vandalism. By Monday, conditions

For the second time in days. the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool didn’t hold steady after work meant to fix it. Blue paint that was recently applied began peeling into the water. and algae that had already disrupted the renovation process kept returning—setting off a weekend of tension in Washington. DC that ended with arrests and new threats of criminal charges.

The saga has been playing out alongside a fast-approaching deadline. The reflecting pool has faced scrutiny in recent months as officials work through renovation challenges, even as President Donald Trump said he expects the project to be ready by July 4, ahead of the country’s 250th birthday.

The latest problems started after a refill and new paint work. Recently applied paint began peeling off the reflecting pool basin on June 18. with images published by Getty Images showing portions of the paint floating to the water’s surface. Before that peeling was even fully in view, green algae had appeared earlier in the week. Crews poured hydrogen peroxide into the pool to address the algae. but the algae continued to reappear for around a week after it was first seen.

Over the holiday weekend. Trump pointed to vandalism as the cause of the disruption—despite no documented photos or video showing anyone damaging the pool. In a Truth Social post. he claimed “Just like three days ago. they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool. they’ve also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed. ” adding that chemicals similar to those used on the National Mall were used in the reflecting pool.

Trump later went further. saying one of the “terrible Vandals” used a knife or blade to slash what he initially described as “a 250 foot long gash” into the pool. and then later called it a 300-foot-long gash. The $16 million project, which has required additional work already, now appears to be headed for another round of repairs. Trump said the pool will be drained again. and he did not provide a clear timeline for when the new work will be completed. though he promised it would be finished “as quickly as possible.”.

As the renovation complications continued, the weekend shifted from a maintenance fight to a criminal case. Trump said “many additional people have been arrested” in connection with the alleged destruction of the reflecting pool. One of those people is former Olympic canoeist David Hearn. a 77-year-old. who later told The Washington Post he had only grabbed a loose piece of peeled paint.

“I didn’t vandalize anything,” Hearn, who was charged with a misdemeanor, told the Post. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro raised the stakes the day before the arrests became more widely reported. During a Fox News appearance Sunday. she said people caught vandalizing the pool “will face the criminal justice system in DC.” Pirro added that if there were “more serious products” placed into the reflecting pool to create more algae or a bigger problem. prosecutors would consider more charges.

By Monday, officials told NBC News that five people accused of vandalizing the pool had been arrested and five more were cited.

The shifting conditions were visible on the ground. USA TODAY visited the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday and found the water to be less green. though the corners still showed high algae levels. Cracking in the basin lining was also visible just weeks after it was painted “American Flag Blue” through Trump’s orders.

From above, viewed from the Washington Monument live cam, there were pockets of water with a slight green tint Monday afternoon, including a portion near the World War II Memorial.

The sequence of paint damage. hydrogen-peroxide treatment. and continued algae reappearance turned a renovation project into an escalating dispute over what—or who—was responsible. As the pool showed signs of improvement in some areas by Monday. the remaining algae and visible basin cracking left the weekend’s arrests and accusations hanging over the question of whether the work can stay intact long enough to meet July 4 expectations.

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool hydrogen peroxide algae paint peeling American Flag Blue renovation Donald Trump July 4 arrests Jeanine Pirro David Hearn Washington Monument live cam