Date: 2026-06-21
Source: New York Times
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“President Trump said on Saturday that problems with a more than $14 million renovation project of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool had become so severe that it would likely have to be at least partly drained for ‘necessary repairs.’
“He also blamed vandals, without offering evidence, and claimed that ‘multiple individuals’ had been arrested.
“The president’s announcement late Saturday, made on social media, was his starkest acknowledgment of the pool’s rapid deterioration in recent days. The water this week became covered by clouds of blooming algae, which were obscuring a floor that had just been painted a shade that Mr. Trump has called ‘American flag blue.’ The paint then began to peel off, making it a tourist destination for unusual reasons.”