US President Donald Trump is warning of decade-long prison terms for anyone he says tries to spoil one of the most visible projects bearing his imprint: the renovation of the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, a makeover that has since erupted into a political flashpoint.
Mr Trump hired contractors to drain the 610-metre pool and repaint it “American flag blue”. Not long after the work wrapped up, however, the new coating started to peel and algae blooms left the water a murky green — problems the president has attributed to vandals, though he has offered no evidence.
“Of the many statues and fountains that we rebuilt, renovated, cleaned, and fixed, the only one that was vandalised was the Reflecting Pool, which is being taken care of, ASAP!” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform yesterday.
“Please remember that there is a 10-year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things – which will be fully enforced!” he added.
The overhaul of the Reflecting Pool has become a political flashpoint
Law enforcement for the National Park Service said that “five individuals have been arrested for vandalism and five additional individuals were issued federal citations”.
Since Mr Trump ordered the renovation, the iconic water feature has been dogged by setbacks — from algae blooms and green-tinged water to flaking paint — feeding a steady stream of criticism from opponents who portray the troubled revamp as a symbol of chaotic leadership and a narcissistic extravagance.
Mr Trump, a property developer by profession, has accused unspecified “sick, deranged” people of vandalising the pool.
Algae has turned the Reflecting Pool’s water a murky green
Later yesterday, Mr Trump said on Truth Social that his administration was “preparing lawsuits against ABC,” a national broadcaster, “for false reporting” related to the pool.
The Reflecting Pool project is part of a broader push by the president to reshape high-profile corners of Washington, led by an expensive plan to build a huge ballroom at the White House.
That beautification drive has come under fire over its price tag and what critics describe as a lack of transparency in how contracts are awarded, at a time when many Americans are struggling with inflation made worse by the war Mr Trump launched with Israel against Iran.
