- President Donald Trump claimed Friday the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was vandalized and said law enforcement is investigating.
- The claim comes after blue material began peeling off the pool's bottom following Trump's nearly $15 million renovation.
- Trump stated, “We’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool,” without providing evidence.
- Trump mentioned that the algae is 75% gone and the vandalized area will be fixed early next week.
- Trump linked the alleged vandalism to the destruction of grass outside the pool, stating they used similar chemicals.
- The Interior Department referred to the etching of numbers as “deranged vandalism.”
- Trump's Reflecting Pool renovations were initially estimated to cost $1.8 million, but the price tag is now up to $14.7 million.
- The Department of the Interior said when the algae first appeared that it was “from the supply lines to the pool.
- Experts speculate that the darker blue color may be helping the Reflecting Pool absorb more heat, promoting algae growth.
- This week, summer temperatures in D.C. are as high as 95 degrees, contributing to excessive algae growth.
- The Department of the Interior is employing a “high-tech nanobubble ozone technology” to destroy the cells of the algae.
- Ozone nanobubbling is effective as a temporary solution for algae blooms.
- Longer-term fixes would have to address what makes the Reflecting Pool so ideal for algae, such as its depth, darker color and inflow of nitrogen and phosphorus.
President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was vandalized, leading to a law enforcement investigation. He stated, “We’ve had some real problems with vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool,” although he did not provide evidence for his claims.13
The allegations come in the wake of a nearly $15 million renovation of the pool, which has faced issues with algae growth. The Department of the Interior has noted that the algae is now 75% gone and that the area affected by vandalism is small and will be repaired soon.24811
The algae problem is exacerbated by the pool's design, which is ideal for algae growth due to its depth and nutrient inflow from the Potomac River. The river receives heavy doses of nutrients from urban and agricultural lands, contributing to the algae blooms. Summer temperatures in Washington, D.C., have reached as high as 95 degrees, further complicating the situation.1013
In response, the National Park Service has been using hydrogen peroxide and high-tech nanobubble ozone technology to combat the algae. However, experts suggest that long-term solutions must address the underlying conditions that favor algae growth, such as the pool's darker color and nutrient inflow.
Trump's renovation project, initially estimated at $1.8 million, has ballooned to $14.7 million amid ongoing maintenance challenges.7
“Trump has claimed that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was vandalized, prompting an investigation by law enforcement. The pool has also faced issues with algae growth, which has been exacerbated by high summer temperatures.”
