A section of the liner beneath the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was deliberately cut with a sharp blade earlier this month, damaging foam sealant installed during a $16 million rehabilitation project, according to a senior National Park Service official. The damage was reported to the U.S. Park Police on June 9, as disclosed in court documents filed amid a lawsuit by a nonprofit group seeking to halt the renovation work initiated under the administration of President Donald Trump.
Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the National Park Service, confirmed the damage in the legal filing but did not specify the exact timing of the incident or identify any suspects. The police report cited damage that included cuts to caulking over foam sealant and destruction of delaminating surface material. Additionally, about 70 fence post tops were found thrown into the pool. This marks the first time specific details have been provided by the administration regarding when and how the damage to the pool occurred following the near-completion of the restoration project.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the Interior explained that public communication about the damage was initially withheld to avoid encouraging further vandalism. “At the time of the June 9 incident, the vandalism was under investigation and believed to be isolated. So as not to encourage deranged individuals, we did not announce what we hoped to be an isolated incident,” the representative said. Around the same period, park staff discovered fencing around the pool forcibly removed and thrown into the water.
The department stated that as multiple incidents and video footage emerged showing individuals damaging the pool’s coating, it became clear the vandalism was more widespread than initially thought. President Trump and other officials have repeatedly faulted unnamed vandals for various damages to the pool, including peeling paint and a reportedly “350-foot gash” in the liner. Trump recently stated that six people had been arrested in connection with the incidents, though details were not provided. The Interior Department later confirmed there have been seven arrests, seven federal citations, and 18 police reports, without specifying the nature of the charges.
The renovation, launched ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations, involved draining the pool and painting its bottom a shade dubbed “American flag blue” by Trump. However, the site has experienced challenges since reopening, including an algae bloom lasting more than a week and visible peeling of the new coating. The water has notably improved in recent days following treatment with ozone-infusing devices intended to eliminate algae and bacteria.
The Trump administration is working under a self-imposed deadline to complete the Reflecting Pool restoration before July 4, with plans to release images to support the president’s claims regarding the damage and ongoing repairs.