President Donald Trump announced that repair work on the famous Washington DC Reflecting Pool would begin “immediately” after he inspected the site from a helicopter on Sunday evening.
The pool, a 1920s landmark located between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, cost an estimated $13 million to refurbish earlier this month. Even after a fresh coat of blue paint and new plumbing, the water turned green from algal growth and the bottom of the pool showed pieces of paint peeling away.
Trump said the paint had been damaged by vandals as the nation approached the 250th anniversary of the Fourth of July. “Who would do such a thing? Sick, deranged people!” he posted on Truth Social. He added that anyone who vandalised the pool would face the criminal justice system in DC.
A senior Trump administration official reported that five people were arrested for vandalism and another five received citations the night before. In total, 14 police reports have been filed, including a claim that a blade left a 250‑foot gash in the pool’s façade. The US Park Police have not yet confirmed the figures.
The Reflecting Pool has long suffered from leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae, and bird droppings. In addition to scraping and painting, officials are using chemicals, such as hydrogen peroxide, to clear the green algae bloom that has taken hold since the pool was refilled following the recent paint job.
Over the weekend, a second‑hand news photographer noted a dead duckling floating in the pool, raising concerns about possible environmental damage. Scientists have sampled the water and identified the algae as Desmodesmus, a harmless species that poses no immediate threat to people or wildlife. Nevertheless, Professor Rosalina Stancheva Christova of George Mason University warns that the pool’s ecosystem is dynamic, and that new organisms could enter through birds or other visitors.
With the repairs expected to start “immediately” and the nation ready to celebrate a historic anniversary, stakeholders emphasize the need for constant monitoring and robust protective measures to safeguard the Reflecting Pool for future generations.
