Donald Trump has blamed “vandalism” for ongoing issues at Washington DC’s Reflecting Pool, which turned green with algae shortly after a $14.2m renovation. The US president claimed without evidence that vandals had been arrested for damaging the pool, which sits between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
In posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump alleged that individuals had used chemicals to harm the pool’s interior surface, similar to actions on the National Mall. He also claimed that “multiple individuals” had been arrested by US park police, though no evidence was provided. The Department of the Interior did not respond to requests for comment.
The renovation, ordered by Trump to turn the pool “American Flag blue” ahead of the country’s 250th birthday celebrations, has faced scrutiny. An algae bloom turned the water green days after completion, and paint has been seen peeling off in the water. The National Park Service deployed skimmers and hydrogen peroxide to treat the algae.
In a statement, the interior department claimed that “advanced nanobubbler technology” had killed the algae, comparing it to the “destroyed Iranian Navy”. However, much of the water remained murky, with algae still visible and paint flakes floating on the surface. Laboratory testing identified the algae as Scenedesmus, a green algae genus.
The project has also been criticised over its contracting process. The New York Times reported that a no-bid contract was awarded to a business linked to a longtime Trump supporter for the water-purification system. Meanwhile, a three-time US Olympian canoeist, David Hearn, was arrested after touching a detached piece of the pool liner, claiming he did not vandalise anything.
