President Donald Trump has threatened legal action and up to 10 years imprisonment for anyone who damages or attempts to damage the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., after a multi-million-dollar renovation project faced issues with peeling paint and algae turning the water green.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform last Monday (22 June) threatening strict prison terms for those attempting to vandalize the Reflecting Pool, a historic landmark located between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., amid intense political controversy over the renovation project he championed.
Trump stated in his post, "Please remember, there is a maximum prison sentence of up to 10 years for destroying or even attempting to destroy these structures, and this law will be fully enforced!"
Additionally, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the 610-meter-long pool had been maliciously slashed with a knife, leaving cuts between 90 and 107 meters long, and someone had secretly added fertilizer to the water, causing algae growth and turning the water dark green. "I really can't help it if someone walks into the pool with a knife and starts hacking it to pieces," Trump said after inspecting the damage by helicopter on his way back from Camp David.
The U.S. National Park Service Police told AFP that five individuals have been arrested for public property damage related to the pool, and another five have been issued citations. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C.'s water department confirmed it has approved a permit to drain the entire pool again for repairs, with the contractor carrying out the work under warranty.
Back in April, the pool was drained to allow for renovations requested by Trump, including repainting the pool floor in "American flag blue." Water was refilled earlier this month, but within days, the blue paint began peeling and floating on the surface, forcing visitors to scoop it out. The water also turned emerald green due to algae, prompting officials to pour hydrogen peroxide to control the growth.
This issue quickly became political when Trump announced plans to sue major television network ABC News, accusing it of distorting the facts about the pool. He declared that if he wins the case, all damages awarded would be paid into the U.S. Treasury.
Trump also criticized the Democratic Party on social media, saying, "ABC failed to report that their dear friends Obama and Biden spent over $100 million on this pool, but it never really worked. I spent only about $16 million (around 550 million baht), and it looks great—except for the sabotage, which we are fixing."
Conversely, government critics describe Trump's beautification project for the capital, which includes plans for a large banquet hall in the White House, as "self-indulgent extravagance" lacking transparency in the bidding process, especially amid severe inflation affecting many Americans and exacerbated by the war Trump initiated with Israel against Iran.
The Reflecting Pool is expected to remain drained and closed for renovations through the night and into the early morning, while investigators closely examine evidence in the arson and property damage case.