WASHINGTON — Armed with a self-imposed deadline and a troubled renovation project, the Trump administration deployed National Guard service members and U.S. Park Police to patrol the deck surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday. The move comes as officials work to address the fallout from a botched cleaning and renovation effort ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The increased security presence followed the president’s claim, made two days earlier, that authorities had made “multiple arrests” of individuals he blamed for damage to the pool’s peeling coating. The coating was installed as part of a $14 million-plus renovation project. An algae bloom has since overtaken the water, clouding the newly applied liner.
Trump has acknowledged that the pool will likely need to be drained again for liner repairs and promised the situation would be resolved quickly. However, no clear timeline was available Monday, and the administration did not answer questions about plans for a new round of repair work. In recent days, contractors and federal workers have been deploying chemicals and ozone nanobubbles in an effort to beat back the algae.
The president originally promoted the renovation project as a way to clean up and restore a landmark he claimed had been neglected and left in poor condition by previous administrations. He personally selected the “American flag blue” color for the new pool coating, envisioning a gleaming centerpiece along the National Mall. Algae has been a persistent problem at the pool for roughly a century.
Within weeks of Trump declaring the project complete in time for Independence Day, a vivid green algae bloom clouded the water. Last Friday, an approximately four-foot-square section of the liner was observed partially floating in the pool. The Associated Press reported seeing additional loose pieces in the water on Monday.
On social media, the president has pointed the finger at what he called “SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!” In a Monday post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the damage includes a “300 foot long gash” and alleged that “chemicals have been illegally placed in the water.” The day before, he posted that work to fix the “seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool” would begin right away.
Trump has not provided evidence to back up those claims. Experts note that even if someone deliberately peeled portions of the liner, that would not account for the algae bloom, which appeared more severe than what the pool experienced before the renovation took place.
Images of the struggling project spread rapidly across social media last week, drawing curious crowds to the site. An unknown number of visitors were detained by federal authorities. Among those arrested was David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland — a former Olympic canoe racer.
Hearn told the Associated Press that he reached into the pool to get a closer look at the peeling coating. He said he briefly touched a piece that was still connected to the pool’s side, then pulled back shortly after a park worker told him to stop. Despite that, he said he was held by National Guard troops and Park Police for five hours before being released Friday night.
“I’m a curious citizen,” Hearn said in a phone interview. “I reached down to see what it felt like. It was very rubbery.”
The Park Police did not respond Monday to questions from the AP about the total number of arrests or whether any formal charges had been filed. Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Monday that it has no involvement in the matter.
It remains unclear what specific criminal or civil law someone would be breaking by reaching into the pool. In one of his Truth Social posts, Trump threatened prison time for those he blamed, citing laws that prohibit defacing federal monuments.
