The U.S. Park Police faced widespread ridicule on Wednesday after posting a blurry video of a person briefly reaching into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and asking for the public's help identifying an alleged vandal.
Blurry Footage Sparks Mockery
In a post on X, the United States Park Police said they were investigating a Destruction of Government Property incident that occurred on June 19 at around 3:30 p.m. The accompanying footage, shot from a distance and of poor quality, shows an individual leaning over the pool and pulling something out—nothing more.
Critics were quick to mock the agency. “So in the 7 or so seconds that person had their arm in the water what on earth do you think they accomplished?” asked one user. Another wrote, “You’re telling me that these 5 park workers skimming the pool just sat there while a little kid ‘vandalized’ the pool’s super strong liner and ruined it by touching it?”
Trump's Vandalism Claims
The police effort appears linked to President Donald Trump’s assertion that vandals are responsible for damage to the pool’s $14 million “American flag blue” coating, which is now peeling as algae turns the water green. Trump told reporters over the weekend that vandals “went in there with a knife” and carved a “290, 300-foot slit right through it, probably a box cutter or a knife of some kind.”
HuffPost visited the site on Monday and found no evidence of such a gash. Trump has claimed the slit grows longer each time he mentions it. On Tuesday, he said six people have been arrested in connection with damage to the pool, including a cyclist and former Olympic canoe racer who admitted touching a piece of peeled paint but denied causing any damage.
Public Skepticism
The lack of evidence for Trump’s claims has fueled skepticism. One user sarcastically noted, “Looks like Ivanka Trump. I think y'all have her address already. We expect an arrest immediately.” Another posted an image of a child with the caption, “Found the culprit! I think her name is Jenny??”
Park Police have not commented further on the investigation or the alleged vandalism.
