President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that vandals inflicted a large gash on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, with the alleged damage growing in length each time he described it. Starting at 250 feet late Saturday, the gash expanded to 300 feet by Monday morning and then to 350 feet during a press conference Monday night, according to Trump's statements on Truth Social and to reporters.
Trump's Escalating Claims
In a Truth Social post late Saturday, Trump first wrote that vandals used “some form of knife or blade, and put a 250 foot long gash into the beautiful facade” of the pool. He described it as one of several acts of “disgraceful Vandalism” following his renovations on the National Mall. By Monday morning, he posted that the gash had grown to 300 feet, adding that “chemicals have been illegally placed in the water, and the beautiful new grass field has been destroyed with a gigantic 86 47 chemically carved into it (Probably inspired by Dirty Cop, James Comey!).”
Later Monday evening, CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe pressed Trump on whether there was photographic evidence. Trump responded, “When you have a 350-foot — I think it’s 350, not 250 — when you have a 350-foot slit from one end to the other… you think that’s proof?” He claimed there were “pictures” but the White House has not provided any. He directed questions to the National Park Service.
Lack of Evidence
The Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, did not immediately respond to HuffPost's inquiry about the gash's actual length or available photographs. The agency previously stated that at least five people were arrested for allegedly vandalizing the reflecting pool. One arrestee, a cyclist and former Olympic canoeist, said he touched peeling blue surface material but denied causing damage.
A HuffPost reporter walked the pool's perimeter on Monday and found no gash of several hundred feet, though visibility was hindered by green algae in some sections. The site has attracted news crews and tourists photographing the murky water since Trump's renovation.
Renovation Controversy
The Reflecting Pool has long suffered from leaky pipes and algae, but Trump claimed he would beautify it ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. The project proceeded despite warnings from historic preservation experts that the monument was “hallowed ground” and should not resemble a swimming pool. Costs exceeded the initial estimate, reaching over $14 million, and included a no-bid contract for a Trump supporter to install a water-purification system.
The work involved applying a blue waterproofing material to the pool's surface. Sections of that surface have peeled off in recent days, possibly due to improper preparation, prompting Trump's allegations of repeat vandalism. Scientists have noted that stirring up the pool during renovation likely worsened algae blooms.
Trump said the pool will need to be drained again and promised prosecution of the alleged vandals. “Please remember that there is a 10 year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things - Which will be fully enforced!” he wrote on Truth Social on Monday.
