CNN challenges President Trump's claims of vandalism at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
A CNN report found no evidence of the alleged knife-cut damage to the Reflecting Pool that President Trump said vandals inflicted, contradicting his statements on Truth Social.
CNN host John King highlighted that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which was drained on Monday for repairs, showed no visible signs of the extensive slashing President Donald Trump described in recent Truth Social posts. Trump had asserted that vandals had cut a 300-yard gash in the pool’s floor, forcing the National Park Service to drain it, and promised a swift refill.
King noted that Trump previously claimed a 250-foot cut, and pointed out the discrepancy in the measurements. Correspondent Tom Foreman, reporting from the site, said investigators found no evidence of such damage, describing the area as “just nothing like that.” He also referenced Trump’s earlier remarks that the pool liner was “so strong, so powerful” that it could not be cut with a knife, contrasting them with later statements that a knife or box cutter had been used.
The segment underscored the lack of physical proof for the alleged vandalism and highlighted inconsistencies in the president’s comments. The Daily Beast has sought comment from the White House.
The Reflecting Pool’s renovation has faced multiple issues, including cost overruns from an initial $1.8 million estimate to more than $14 million, an algal bloom that turned the water green, and the discovery of dead ducks in the water last month.