Trump: "Vandals" to blame for peeling paint in Reflecting Pool

President Donald Trump has attributed the peeling paint in Washington's iconic Reflecting Pool to "vandals" who allegedly poured "corrosive and destructive chemicals" into the water. The issue surfaced just days after a multi-million dollar renovation project, personally ordered by Trump, was completed.

Trump stated on his Truth Social platform that these "terrible vandals" were responsible for the deterioration of the pool's bottom coating. However, media reports indicate that the problem, first noticed on Friday, involves the paint used to give the water a blue hue. The precise cause of the peeling remains undetermined.

The Reflecting Pool, a significant symbol in Washington stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, was recently subject to a renovation costing approximately $14.2 million. During this project, the pool's bottom was coated with a dark blue paint that Trump referred to as "the blue of the American flag."

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terrible vandals

During the renovation, crews encountered difficulties with algae blooms turning the water green. This week, park staff attempted to combat the algae by adding hydrogen peroxide to the water. The Reflecting Pool is shallow and exposed to direct sunlight, causing it to heat up significantly in the summer. After a major renovation during the Obama administration, algae returned within weeks. The new renovation included a water treatment system intended to prevent future algae issues.

Trump, who claimed that "several individuals have already been arrested" for what he called the "disgraceful desecration of our beautiful Reflecting Pool," explained that most of the water would likely be drained for necessary repairs, which would be completed as quickly as possible. According to The Washington Post, one of those arrested was a former Olympic cyclist detained after touching a piece of peeling paint in the pool.

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disgraceful desecration of our beautiful Reflecting Pool