Vandalism at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool: Liner Slashed with Knife or Razor, NPS Confirms
WASHINGTON (AP) — The liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was deliberately cut with a sharp knife or razor earlier this month, according to a senior National Park Service official, causing damage to the foam sealant that was part of a $16 million renovation.
Frank Lands, the deputy director of operations for the park service, disclosed the incident in a court filing late Wednesday, part of a lawsuit brought by a nonprofit seeking to halt the Trump administration’s work on the project. The June 9 incident was reported to U.S. Park Police.
According to Lands, the police report details damage to the pool, “including a caulk over the foam sealant that was cut with a sharp knife or razor and destruction of delaminating surface material.” He also noted that about 70 fence post tops were thrown into the water.
The filing marks the first time the administration has provided specific details on when and how the Reflecting Pool may have been damaged after the project was substantially completed. President Donald Trump and other officials have repeatedly blamed unidentified vandals for peeling paint, a “350-foot gash” in the liner, and other problems — though without offering evidence. Trump claimed this week that six people had been arrested, but provided no further details.
The president had pledged to beautify the century-old Reflecting Pool ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations, draining the basin and ordering the bottom to be painted what he called “American flag blue.” But since the site was restored, algae blooms have clouded the water, and pieces of the new coating have begun peeling from the bottom.
His administration faces a self-imposed deadline to complete the renovation before July Fourth. Trump has also said the federal government would release images to support his claims. On Wednesday, he asserted that “sick people” had used razors and box cutters to slice portions of the lining.
Late Wednesday, U.S. Park Police released surveillance footage and asked the public for help “identifying the individual depicted here in connection with a Destruction of Government Property investigation.” The grainy 30-second video appears to show a person kneeling at the edge of the pool, reaching in and removing something from the water. Police said the footage was taken Friday afternoon.
In his court statement, Lands said the park service plans to drain the Reflecting Pool after Independence Day to conduct repairs, including assessing and fixing any damage to the lining. The agency had completed more than two months of renovations in early June, installing a tinted, plastic-like rubber liner to waterproof the concrete surface before refilling the basin.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation, an education and advocacy group that sued in May to block the project, asked a federal judge to halt further renovations. “It is also not too late to correct course,” the group wrote in a Monday filing. “Instead of rushing ahead with half-baked ideas, the administration should engage with experts and the public, and make an informed decision based on consultations mandated by law.”
The case continues to draw attention to the intersection of political ambition, historical preservation, and public accountability on the National Mall.