The $14.8 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has gone from sparkling blue to murky green in just two weeks. The pool’s new coating started peeling off in large patches, but instead of fixing the engineering flaws, President Trump fired back at onlookers—even having a former U.S. Olympic athlete arrested for touching the debris.
Trump Blames ‘Vicious Vandalism’
On June 20, Trump claimed that multiple people had been arrested for deliberately vandalizing the pool. He said that previous administrations let the pool turn a disgusting green from algae growth, so he ordered it repainted in “American flag blue” to better reflect the Washington Monument.
But the plan backfired. Within two weeks, the blue faded, and the water returned to its familiar algae-green. Workers added chemicals to fight the algae, only to see the new blue coating peel off in sheets.
The top image is a satellite view of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 10, 2023; the bottom shows it on June 7, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
Posting on social media the night of June 19, Trump accused: “This beautiful reflecting pool has been severely vandalized. Just three days ago, someone damaged the lawn around it. They’ve used every trick to ruin the newly laid pool lining.”
He offered no evidence to back up his claims.
(Screenshot from U.S. media)
“It’s just like someone sprayed unknown chemicals on the National Mall lawn recently,” he wrote. “Someone dumped the same stuff into the pool, deliberately ruining and tarnishing our beautiful renovation.”
Trump was referring to earlier graffiti on the National Mall that read “86 47,” which law enforcement saw as a threat against him, the 47th president. In U.S. slang, “86” means “get rid of.” The investigation is ongoing.
On June 20, Trump followed up with another post—mistakenly typing “Poll” instead of “Pool”—claiming park police had arrested several suspects. The typo was later fixed.
He continued: “What kind of person would do this? Damaging a national monument is a serious felony. The perpetrators will face years in prison!”
Later, Trump admitted the pool needs more repairs to restore its “equally beautiful look.” “We met with the contractor today. We’ll likely have to drain most of the water to do the repairs, and we’ll push them to finish ASAP,” he wrote.
Crowds and Media Flock to the Pool; an Olympian Gets Arrested
For days, the pool’s poor condition has sparked negative press. TV stations filmed it, and crowds showed up just to see the mess.
On June 21, law enforcement officers—including park police, U.S. marshals, and personnel from multiple states—guarded the pool around the clock, patrolling on foot and horseback.
Around 1:30 p.m., a reporter saw a mounted park police officer writing a ticket to a young man for taking something from the pool. “You’re not going to jail today because you cooperated,” the officer told the tourist, who was there with his family.
The previous day, the same reporter saw a federal marshal detain a woman for allegedly scooping paint chips from the water. She argued the floating coating looked like trash.
Left: David Hearn in competition; right: the green pool.
Among the arrested was 67-year-old David Hearn, a Maryland resident who runs a rowing boat materials company. A three-time U.S. Olympic rower, Hearn said he biked 64 miles to the pool on June 19.
He explained that he just touched the water to inspect the peeling new coating. He gently felt a piece of blue lining still attached to the wall, then immediately pulled his hand back when park staff asked him to stop.
Hearn said National Guard members and park police detained him for five hours before releasing him that night.
“I’m just a curious regular citizen,” Hearn said. “The coating felt just like rubber.”
He’s due in court next month and is looking for a lawyer.
A reporter from The Bulwark fished a piece of the “flag blue” lining from the pool.
On June 19, a reporter from the anti-Trump outlet The Bulwark went live from the pool, showing large blue patches curling up from the bottom in the murky green water.
The contractor selection for the renovation had already stirred controversy. Citing government documents, a report from The New York Times noted that the Trump administration skipped public bidding and awarded the contract directly to Atlantic Industrial Coatings in Virginia—a company with no prior government experience.
Public records show Atlantic Industrial Coatings has worked with Trump before, having participated in construction at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia.
