Photos of emptied Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool show no visible damage claimed by Trump
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Recent images of the drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool do not reveal the gash or liner damage that President Trump has alleged was caused by vandals.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained again this week, and photographs of the empty basin show no visible cuts or gashes in the liner that President Donald Trump has said were caused by vandals. Trump previously described the pool liner as “very strong…like powerful rubber” and denied that the surface had been painted, insisting it was covered with a “high grade colored waterproofing liner.”
The administration has not provided evidence to substantiate the claims of vandalism or of fertilizer being dumped to create algae, an issue that has affected the pool for years. Prosecutors have charged at least seven individuals in connection with the alleged damage, including former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who has pleaded not guilty. Hearn told NBC News he had only touched a detached piece of liner while riding his bike near the site.
The renovation project, which began in April, was initially estimated at $1.8 million but has risen to over $15 million. No visual confirmation of the alleged damage has emerged from the recent pool images.