Reflecting Pool saga becomes unwelcome distraction for Trump

The growing list of issues surrounding the renovations at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is creating an unwelcome distraction for President Trump as he seeks to complete beautification projects in Washington ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary next month. 

Clumps of algae appeared on the floor of the pool within days of the iconic landmark being repainted “American flag blue,” leading to crews pouring in hydrogen peroxide and using special nanobubbler technology at the direction of the Interior Department. Shortly after that, photos emerged showing the paint job peeling off and rising to the surface of the pool. 

Trump has deflected blame for the maintenance issues on vandalism, saying multiple arrests have already been made. The developments, however, are tarnishing Trump’s beautification push, which he has prioritized ahead of America’s birthday. 

The president doubled down on the claims in the Oval Office on Monday, speculating that a vandal could have sliced the coating in the pool with a box cutter. 

“We have a, I think 290-, 300-foot slit right through it. Probably a box cutter or knife of some kind,” Trump told reporters. 

He also speculated that fertilizer was poured into the pool to cause algae to grow.

“If you put fertilizer in the water, you get algae,” Trump said. “But somebody said they might have put fertilizer. They did something to create the algae.”

When pressed on whether he had evidence of the vandalism, Trump referred reporters to the National Park Service. 

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro warned over the weekend that her office would prosecute anyone caught vandalizing the pool, and the Interior Department announced Monday that five people have been arrested for vandalism and five........

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