Donald Trump is claiming, without providing evidence, that the sorry state of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool weeks after a $14m renovation is the work of 'vandals.' On Monday, Trump was adamant it was not the pool company to blame for the algae blooms and peeling paint, instead pointing to five people arrested for vandalism and five more under investigation.
Trump's Claims and Lack of Evidence
'It's not a lot of damage, but we'll probably have to let the water out and refix it. They went in there with a knife,' Trump told reporters Monday, describing what he first said was a 290- to 300ft slit in the paint but then later amended to a 350ft slit. He also said someone had put fertilizer into the water, which caused the algae to grow. When pushed to provide evidence of his claims, he told reporters to call the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service. Neither agency responded immediately to a request for comment, nor did the US park police.
Renovation Details and Problems
Trump has sought to turn the monument 'American flag blue' in time for the country's 250th birthday, which included painting the bottom of the pool a dark shade of navy officially called 'Old Glory Blue.' He awarded a no-bid contract to a company he said had previously done work on swimming pools at one of his golf clubs. Within days of the completion of the work, the water started to appear green from algae plaguing the standing water, and the coating of paint applied during the renovation also started to detach.
Pool Draining and Permits
It's unclear when the pool will be drained, but a spokesperson with the DC Water Authority said the agency has issued the national parks service a temporary permit to discharge water into a sewer that flows into a local treatment facility. The permit was issued 16 June and expires 2 July, the spokesperson said.
Other US Politics News
The US Senate passed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which would limit investors' ability to buy homes, waives some federal permitting rules, and authorizes pilot programs for grants. It passed 85-5 and now heads to the House. Iran has agreed to allow UN nuclear inspectors back as part of an agreement with the US, according to Vice-President JD Vance. A federal judge blocked subpoenas for Minnesota leaders issued during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. California drivers sued gas station operators including BP, Circle K, Marathon, 7-Eleven, Walmart and Albertsons for using AI to boost prices. Two older residents were killed in an Illinois tornado. ABC faces FCC investigations. Alan Greenspan has died aged 100. The superintendent of Los Angeles public schools resigned after FBI searches.
