Donald Trump's assertion that 'vandals' were responsible for the Washington DC reflecting pool turning green and peeling has been disproven by new evidence. The US President, 80, took to Truth Social to express his anger after the water installation near the Lincoln Memorial suffered an algal bloom just days after a $14 million (£10.5 million) renovation.
Renovation Flaws Behind Algae and Paint Peeling
Workers had dyed the bottom of the pool 'American flag blue' during the recent remodelling, which is believed to have contributed to the rapid growth of algae that had plagued the pool for years. The paint began to peel and float to the surface, with some tourists taking pieces home as souvenirs.
Mr Trump, who previously criticised the pool's 'filthy' state under Joe Biden, insisted vandalism was to blame. He wrote on Truth Social: 'We’ve cleaned, renovated, and beautified over 45 Monuments and Memorials, 28 Statues, and 22 Fountains in Washington, DC. However, we’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool.'
Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment Causes Paint to Peel
National Park Service workers and contractors placed a tube into the pool to combat algal growth, but hydrogen peroxide used in the cleaning process appears to have caused the paint to peel from the concrete floor, while the algae remained. ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl demonstrated the damage on camera, pulling up a large, rubbery sheet of blue coating and stating: 'The $14 million job to redo the bottom of this reflecting pool is falling apart before our eyes. The algae is still here, but the paint appears to be going away.'
In response, Mr Trump accused Mr Karl of 'sticking his hand into the Pool, and trying to rip the rubber off the surface.' Ozone nanobubbles, a water purification treatment, were also employed. The National Park Service confirmed using hydrogen peroxide, adding: 'There are no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment.'
Ongoing Spat with Italian PM Meloni
Separately, Mr Trump deepened his row with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, claiming she asked 'over and over' for a photo at the recent G7 summit and criticising Italy's lack of cooperation during the Iran war. Meloni called Trump's version of events 'completely fabricated,' leading Italy's foreign minister to cancel a planned trip to the United States. Trump wrote on social media: 'Italian Prime Minister Gigiorgia Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G7 meeting in France,' misspelling her name initially.
