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

Washington — President Trump connected Monday said impervious volition beryllium provided successful tribunal of his allegations that vandals "cut" a monolithic slit successful the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which helium claims is the crushed the overgarment is peeling connected the precocious renovated but algae-plagued project.

In an speech with CBS News elder White House analogous Ed O'Keefe, Mr. Trump insisted that vandals, alternatively than questionable craftsmanship, are liable for the enduring problems pursuing the $14.7 cardinal sealant job. The president claimed vandals chopped a 350-foot slit successful the excavation betwixt the World War II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. Five radical person been arrested for vandalism related to the Reflecting Pool, and 5 further individuals were issued national citations, according to the U.S. Park Police, though neither the institution down the task nor the U.S. Park Service has said a chopped slit was liable for the peeling. 

Asked if helium had proof, specified arsenic photos oregon video, that vandals utilized a weapon to chopped a monolithic slit successful the pool, Mr. Trump responded: "Well, let's enactment it this way, erstwhile you person a 350, I deliberation it's 350, not 250, erstwhile you person a 350-foot slit, from 1 extremity to the other, you deliberation that's proof? You deliberation that's proof?" 

O'Keefe noted that reporters had been to the tract and recovered nary grounds of a slit.

"Well, you'd person to spell spot the Parks Department. They'll amusement it to you, oregon see, spot the secretary, but I saw it," Mr. Trump said, apt referencing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. "They chopped it, they chopped it precise violently. The aforesaid happening with the floor, they chopped it, and past they lifted it. They pulled it, and that's what it is."

After defending the project, the president said, "We besides person pictures."

O'Keefe asked the president for grounds of his claims. 

"Yeah, astatine the close clip you'll spot it," Mr. Trump said. "You'll spot it successful court. You'll spot it successful court, but each you person to bash is telephone the Parks Department, telephone the Department of Interior."

Blue coating is seen among algae successful the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Sunday, June 21, 2026, connected the National Mall successful Washington. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick Jon Elswick

The president besides suggested idiosyncratic whitethorn person placed fertilizer successful the h2o to make the algae that teams person been attempting to clear. 

"If you enactment fertilizer successful the water, you get algae, but idiosyncratic said they mightiness person enactment fertilizer, they did thing to make the algae," the president said, again without providing grounds for his claims.

CBS News has reached retired to the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior. So far, there's been nary response.  

Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which received a no-bid contract to instal the sealant connected the level of the Reflecting Pool, told CBS News determination are "some areas" that "require repairs." 

"These areas are a precise tiny portion of the monolithic 7-acre project, and bash not bespeak a nonaccomplishment of the liner," the institution said. "These repairs tin not beryllium made until the excavation is drained. As soon arsenic it's feasible for the park, the excavation volition beryllium drained and AIC volition beryllium backmost to marque those needed repairs arsenic portion of the warranty."

Joe Walsh and Arden Farhi contributed to this report.