Five people have been arrested for vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, according to a Trump administration official. CBS News reporter Emma Nicholson tweeted that an additional five individuals received federal citations, bringing the total police reports to 14, including one related to a 250-foot gash in the pool. The pool has suffered from algae blooms and peeling paint after recent renovations for America's 250th anniversary celebrations next month.
Trump Inspects Damage, Orders Immediate Repairs
President Donald Trump said on Sunday he personally surveyed the damage. “Work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I just inspected it, and could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing?” He stated the pool would “probably” be drained during repairs.
Three-time Olympian David Hearn, arrested in the incident, told the Washington Post he merely touched a peeling piece of paint liner when US park police charged him with a misdemeanor. Details on other arrests remained limited Sunday afternoon.
US Attorney Vows Full Prosecution
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said on Fox News’s Sunday Briefing that citations for vandalism have been issued and perpetrators will be “fully prosecuted.” “Anyone who is in a position of vandalizing or attempting to vandalize will face the criminal justice system in DC,” Pirro stated. She added that adding products to generate algae could lead to more severe charges, though she did not provide specific statistics or arrest details.
Other Developments: Iran, Chicago Violence, and Gambling Concerns
In other news, Trump threatened to resume war with Iran as Vice President JD Vance met Iranian officials for peace talks in Switzerland. Tehran announced it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz due to Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon. US political figures from both parties objected to Trump’s provisional Iran deal. Outgoing Republican Senator John Cornyn shared a Wall Street Journal article on rogue regimes evading US sanctions. Senior Democrat Susan Rice called the deal a “horrific surrender” and “egregious” for granting concessions upfront.
At least seven people were killed and dozens injured in several shootings in Chicago since Friday, prompting Trump to call for military intervention. He questioned on Truth Social why Illinois Governor JB Pritzker had not welcomed military deployment. In Memphis, nine months after Trump ordered an anti-crime taskforce, observers allege widespread intimidation by agents, including tailing cars, surveilling homes, and falsely arresting a community observer, as detailed in an ACLU lawsuit.
Public health resources are failing to keep pace with online gambling growth, problem health advocates warned, after Trump endorsed prediction markets nationwide.
