President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that federal authorities had made multiple arrests of individuals he accused of vandalising the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. Among those arrested is a former U.S. Olympian, David Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist who competed in 1992, 1996, and 2000.
Trump's Social Media Claims
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform early Sunday: "Many additional people have been arrested having to do with the disgraceful Vandalism of our beautiful Reflecting Pool." He added that vandals used a knife or blade to create a 250-foot-long gash in the pool's facade and poured corrosive chemicals into the water. The President also claimed that contractors informed him the pool would need to be drained for repairs, which he said would be completed as quickly as possible.
Trump's comments come amid criticism of a $14-million-plus rehabilitation project launched for the nation's 250th anniversary, which has faced setbacks including algae growth and structural issues.
Olympian's Arrest and Denial
David Hearn, 67, told the Washington Post that he was cycling past the monument on Friday when he noticed a piece of the pool's liner floating in the water. He said he reached out and touched the detached piece, but within moments was taken into custody by Park Police. Viral video footage shows Hearn looking bewildered as National Guard members confronted him and police handcuffed him.
“I didn’t vandalise anything,” Hearn said. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realised what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs. I reached in there, and I was able to grab the end of that flapping piece, the already peeling piece. It was still attached to the bottom. I didn’t remove anything.”
Hearn was detained for nearly five hours at a Park Police facility and is scheduled to appear in D.C. Superior Court on July 9.
Earlier Vandalism Claims and Algae Issues
On Friday, Trump alleged "some real problems with vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool," blaming "Radical Left Lunatics, most likely Dumocats." He also attacked ABC reporter Jonathan Karl, accusing him of sticking his hand in the pool and trying to rub the rubber off the surface. Karl had reported on Thursday that the pool was filled with algae and the paint job was deteriorating.
Earlier this month, Trump announced the restoration was complete, boasting it was "very complex, but powerful." However, algae growth turned the water green within weeks. Crews have been dumping hydrogen peroxide into the water to curb algae, and the U.S. Department of the Interior stated that "nanobubbler technology" had been installed. Trump claims the algae is now 75 percent gone.
The Reflecting Pool has historically suffered from algae buildup, hindering its ability to reflect the Lincoln Memorial as intended.
