US President Donald Trump has said that the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. has been drained once again, this time to repair damage that vandals allegedly caused two weeks earlier. Trump made the announcement in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
How Badly Was the Pool Damaged
According to Trump, the slashes cut into the pool ran about 300 yards long. He said the floor of the pool was cut and then pulled upward with great force by those responsible, whom he called thugs.
Why the Parks Department Had to Empty the Water
Trump said the Parks Department had to empty the water from the pool in order to fix its watertight basin, the sealed floor that keeps the water in. He added that the pool will be refilled and put back into service soon.
Why the Repairs Waited Until After July 4th
Trump's post noted that officials deliberately held off on the repair work until after the July 4th weekend. According to news reports, the episode dates back to late June, when Trump first said the Reflecting Pool would probably need to be drained again because of vandalism. Around the same time, reports also pointed to an ongoing algae problem in the pool, even as officials pinned the damage mainly on vandals. Some reports questioned whether the vandalism claim was ever substantiated, noting that an official had insisted the pool was actually fine even while preparations were underway to drain it. Later reports said a permanent repair would begin around July 4th.
The Arrests and the Dispute Over the Vandalism Claim
According to news reports, five people had been arrested and accused of vandalism by a Saturday night in late June. Officials described the incident as disgraceful vandalism. However, several reports raised doubts about the vandalism narrative, pointing out that no solid evidence was ever made public to back it up.
What Trump Said in His Post
We drained the beautiful "Reflecting Pool" today in order to fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals two weeks ago. We wanted to wait until after the July 4th Weekend. The slashes were 300 yards long, and the floor of the pool was cut and then pulled upward, with great force, by these thugs. The Parks Department had to empty the water in order to fix the water tight basin. It will be refilled and put back into service soon. These Country hating sleazebags should pay a big price for the damage done. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DJT
