Trump alleges vandalism behind Reflecting Pool problems

President Donald Trump said on Saturday that federal law-enforcement agencies had made multiple arrests of individuals he accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. Trump claimed his predecessors allowed the pool to turn green and that his administration had lined it with a blue coating, which he said quickly reverted to a green hue and began to peel.

In a social-media post on Friday, Trump wrote that "we've had some real problems with vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool" and that the grass surrounding the pool had been destroyed. He later added that Park Police had arrested several people for the alleged vandalism and warned that such acts could result in years in jail.

One of those detained was 67-year-old David Hearn of Bethesda, Maryland, who said he stopped by the pool during a bike ride and briefly touched a piece of the peeling coating out of curiosity. Hearn said a park worker asked him to stop, after which he was held for five hours by National Guard troops and Park Police before being released.

Federal agencies responsible for the Mall, including the U.S. Park Police, the National Park Service and the Interior Department, did not respond to requests for comment. The pool’s condition has drawn media attention, with reports of algae growth, green water and loose blue paint detaching from the bottom.