Trump says six arrested over alleged vandalism at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that six individuals have been arrested in connection with damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, part of a $14 million renovation project. In a social-media post, Trump said a "350-foot gash" in the paint was the result of deliberate vandalism and said the Interior Department would release photos to substantiate the claim, though no images have been made public.

The U.S. Park Police and the Interior Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the arrests or the alleged vandalism. The Associated Press confirmed that one man was detained after briefly touching a piece of the peeling coating, after a park worker warned him.

National Guard members and Park Police have increased patrols around the pool after Trump asserted that vandals caused the damage. He also said the pool would be partially drained either before or after the Fourth of July for permanent repairs, though details on the scope or cost of those repairs were not provided.

Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the contractor on the project, said the areas needing repair represent a small portion of the overall 7-acre site and do not indicate a liner failure. The company expects to complete the work once the pool is drained, under warranty.

Environmental concerns have also emerged after a Mallard duckling was found dead in the algae-filled water, prompting the Center for Biological Diversity to call on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A local wildlife rescue group said it could not determine the cause of death because the carcass was not recovered for examination.

The renovation, which includes a new "American flag blue" coating selected by Trump, has faced ongoing issues with algae blooms and pieces of the liner floating in the water. Workers have been applying hydrogen peroxide in an effort to control the algae, a substance that can also act as a paint remover. Experts note that darker pool surfaces can increase water temperature and promote algae growth.

The arrests and continuing maintenance challenges come as security is expected to be tightened for the nation’s 250th-anniversary celebrations on the National Mall.