National Guard members and U.S. Park Police patrolled the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday, June 22. Contractors and federal workers were also using chemicals and ozone nanobubbles to control a vivid green algae bloom.
The Trump administration is trying to restore the pool before the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary on July 4. However, officials had not announced a clear repair schedule.
Problems Followed Expensive Renovation
President Donald Trump promoted the renovation as a way to clean and strengthen one of Washington’s most recognizable landmarks. The project cost more than $14 million.
Trump personally selected a coating described as “American flag blue.” He said it would improve the pool’s appearance and help it reflect the Washington Monument.
Trump declared the renovation completed on June 6. Within days, green algae began clouding the newly coated surface.
Pieces of the blue coating were later seen peeling from the bottom. The Associated Press observed additional loose pieces in the water on Monday.
Crews Deploy Ozone Nanobubbles
Workers have used chemicals, vacuum equipment and ozone nanobubbles to fight the algae. Nanobubble systems release extremely small bubbles into water as part of the treatment process.
The algae problem is not new. Growth has affected the Reflecting Pool for decades, particularly during warm weather.
An Interior Department spokesperson previously described some algae as residue from water supply lines that remained unused during construction. The administration has not publicly demonstrated that sabotage caused the bloom.
Trump Alleges Deliberate Sabotage
Trump claimed people deliberately damaged the new coating and placed chemicals in the water. He alleged that someone created a 300-foot cut and used a box cutter on the surface.
The president also claimed fertilizer had been dumped into the pool. He offered no publicly available evidence supporting that allegation.
At an executive order signing Monday, Trump said five people had been arrested and five others were under suspicion. He argued that vandals were responsible for the peeling surface.
Even if someone deliberately damaged part of the coating, that would not explain the algae bloom that appeared before much of the peeling was observed.
Arrest Claims Remain Unclear
The White House said any arrests connected to the pool were made by U.S. Park Police. Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department said it was not involved.
Park Police had not publicly confirmed how many people were arrested, what evidence had been collected or whether charges were filed when the Associated Press reported the story.
One person detained was David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland. Hearn is a former Olympic canoe racer who said he reached into the pool to examine a loose piece of coating.
Hearn said he briefly touched a section that was already peeling and stopped when a worker told him to. He said National Guard members and Park Police detained him for five hours before releasing him.
“I’m a curious citizen,” Hearn told the Associated Press. He denied cutting, peeling or deliberately damaging the coating.
Pool May Need to Be Drained Again
Trump acknowledged that workers will probably need to drain the pool again to repair the damaged surface. The White House said contractors were still assessing the affected areas.
It remains unclear whether all necessary work can be completed before the July 4 celebration. The administration has not released a new cost estimate for draining, repairing and refilling the pool.
An Important National Landmark
The Reflecting Pool sits between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It has served as the setting for major moments in American history, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech.
A major reconstruction completed in 2012 added a circulation system intended to improve water quality and reduce water use. That earlier project cost approximately $34 million.
For now, workers continue treating the algae while officials determine how much of the new coating must be replaced. Questions about the renovation, its durability and the president’s vandalism claims remain unresolved.