Trump blames – Donald Trump says the algae problem at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool traces back to vandals, not contractors—despite a $16 million renovation and a massive slit in the brand new liner. As law enforcement activity intensified around the landmark, arrests
Donald Trump’s visit to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool didn’t come with a soothing explanation—it came with a fight.
Trump pointed to the pool’s algae and the need for repairs tied to “a massive slit in the brand new liner,” saying the cut was made by vandals armed with box cutters. He suggested the fix could require draining the pool’s 6.5 million gallons of water.
The former claims collided immediately with the renovation’s price tag: Trump refused to blame the contractor who oversaw the $16 million renovation. He kept insisting the situation was the result of vandalism.
Since Trump’s remarks over the weekend, authorities have ramped up enforcement around the landmark. People have been arrested by the Reflecting Pool “left and right,” including an ex-Olympian.
Even some incidents tied to the green water have fed the charged atmosphere. One woman was cited Monday for dipping her hand in the green water, while another man was led off in cuffs for yelling at police.
The response around the Reflecting Pool has also included a visible surge of manpower—National Guard troops and U.S. Marshals—after Trump publicly cried vandalism and pressed the point when asked how alleged vandals “slipped through the cracks.”
Donald Trump Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool algae renovation box cutters vandals National Guard U.S. Marshals arrests ex-Olympian 6.5 million gallons $16 million renovation
So they just… cut the liner with box cutters and that’s why it’s green now?
Honestly I don’t even get it. If it’s a new liner why would vandals matter more than whoever built it? Feels like blaming the wrong people again, like contractors are always immune.
The algae is from vandals with box cutters?? Bro how do you even cover that much water and not notice. Also who is checking the whole Lincoln Memorial during a renovation like c’mon. I saw something about National Guard being there and now everyone’s acting like it’s a war zone for green water.
Why are they arresting random people over algae like it’s some serious crime? I read the headline and thought the pool was somehow Trump’s fault, then it’s vandals, then it’s the contractor, then it’s Marshals. Make up your mind. Also draining 6.5 million gallons sounds like a disaster either way.