Trump says proof that vandals cut Reflecting Pool will be provided in court

President Trump asserted on Monday that proof will be presented in court to support his claim that vandals intentionally damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. He alleges that a "massive slit" was cut into the pool, which he believes is the reason for the peeling paint on the recently renovated structure.

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Well, let's put it this way, when you have a 350, I think it's 350, not 250, when you have a 350-foot slit, from one end to the other, you think that's proof?

During an exchange with CBS News, Trump insisted that the ongoing issues with the $14.7 million sealant project are due to vandalism, not faulty work. He described the alleged damage as a "350-foot slit" across the pool, questioning if this was not sufficient proof. Reporters who visited the site found no evidence of such a slit.

Trump directed inquiries about the damage to the Parks Department or the Department of the Interior, stating, "They cut it, they cut it very violently. The same thing with the floor, they cut it, and then they lifted it. They pulled it, and that's what it is." He also mentioned having "pictures" that would be revealed "at the right time" and "in court."

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They cut it, they cut it very violently. The same thing with the floor, they cut it, and then they lifted it. They pulled it, and that's what it is.

Additionally, the president suggested that fertilizer might have been added to the water to promote algae growth, a problem that teams have been working to clear. CBS News has reached out to the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior for comment, but has not yet received a response. Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the company that installed the sealant, acknowledged that "some areas" require repairs but stated these constitute a "very small part" of the project and do not indicate a liner failure.

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Yeah, at the right time you'll see it. You'll see it in court. You'll see it in court, but all you have to do is call the Parks Department, call the Department of Interior.