President Donald Trump said Saturday that law enforcement has made additional arrests in connection with alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, describing damage that goes far beyond what was initially reported.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump said the United States Park Police had arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing what he called "our Nations magnificent Reflecting Pool." He added, "These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail!"
Hours later, Trump wrote that "many additional people have been arrested" and provided new details about the damage. According to the president, vandals "took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250-foot-long gash into the beautiful facade" of the pool and "poured corrosive and destructive chemicals into the Pool."
Trump said officials met with contractors to assess the damage and may need to drain a significant portion of the water to complete repairs. He called the alleged vandalism "a true affront to both Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln."
The incident comes just days after Trump announced the completion of a $14.7 million renovation of the Reflecting Pool. That project, which involved draining and refinishing the historic pool under a no-bid contract, quickly drew scrutiny when paint was seen peeling and algae buildup appeared within days. The National Park Service had to send crews back to treat an algae bloom that turned the water green instead of blue.
The renovation itself had already sparked criticism from Democrats. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the effort wasteful, labeling it a "new swamp" and questioning the use of taxpayer funds. Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) criticized Trump for focusing on the renovation amid rising gas prices.
It remains unclear how the vandalism will affect the timeline for the pool's reopening or whether additional security measures will be implemented at the National Mall.
