Trump blames ABC reporter and vandals for peeling Reflecting Pool and algae growth
President Donald Trump blamed ABC reporter Jonathan Karl and vandals for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s peeling seal and algae growth after the Trump administration’s $15 million renovation.
The pool turned bright green from an algae bloom following the installation of “American flag blue” coating at the bottom of the pool. In an effort to combat the algae growth, National Park Service workers dumped bottles of hydrogen peroxide into the water. Shortly after, the coating at the bottom of the pool began to peel.
“We’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Just like three days ago, they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool, they’ve also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed. No different than the chemicals that were used on the National Mall, they used something similar in the Reflecting Pool to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work.”
The president then mentioned a specific reporter he had in mind.
“Lightweight ABC Reporter, Jonathan Karl, was seen sticking his hand into the Pool, and trying to rip the rubber off of the surface,” Trump continued. “The algae is 75% gone, and the condition will soon be completely remedied, and the area that was vandalized, fortunately, is just a small area of damage, and will be fixed early next week.”
The president may be referring to a video report Karl recorded for ABC News, where the journalist grabbed the peeling coating and moved it back and forth to demonstrate the pool’s condition.
The company that won the $1.7 million contract to install a “nanobubbler” cleaner into the pool during the renovation is owned by Trump donor John Cafaro, with one of his donations reaching $250,000 to the Trump Victory fundraising committee in 2020, a CBS News report found. Cafaro pled guilty to conspiring to bribe Rep. James Traficant (D-OH) in 2002, and pled guilty again a decade later to campaign finance violations in 2010 related to his daughter’s congressional campaign. The businessman also lives less than a mile from Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago.
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Worker cleans algae from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington on June 18, 2026. (Graeme Jennings/Washington Examiner) -
A worker scrubs algae from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, June 19, 2026. (Graeme Jennings/Washington Examiner) -
Blue paint peeling from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington on June 18, 2026. (Graeme Jennings/Washington Examiner) -
Workers scoop algae from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington on June 18, 2026. (Graeme Jennings/Washington Examiner) -
A worker scrubs algae from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Friday, June 19, 2026, in Washington. (Graeme Jennings, Washington Examiner) -
Blue paint peeling from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington on June 18, 2026. (Graeme Jennings/Washington Examiner)
‘AMERICAN FLAG BLUE’ COATING APPARENTLY PEELING OFF IN LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL
The Interior Department told the Washington Examiner that the hydrogen peroxide dumped into the pool was being used to treat the algae bloom along with the “nanobubble technology.” The department did not comment on the peeling seal.
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