Donald Trump claims vandals are to blame for damage to his multimillion-dollar renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool - which has been plagued by problems since work began21:56, 23 Jun 2026Donald Trump says six people have been arrested after allegedly damaging his troubled $14 million (£10.7 million) renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool - as the botched makeover threatens to overshadow America's 250th anniversary celebrations.‌The US president says vandals are to blame for damage to the pool, which has been plagued by problems since undergoing the multimillion-dollar overhaul.‌In a social media post, Trump claimed there had been a "350 foot gash" in the new paintwork, adding that the federal government would release images showing the supposed damage as officials race to finish repairs before next week's celebrations.‌The refurbishment saw the century-old Reflecting Pool drained and base painted a colour Trump dubbed "American flag blue".But the project has been beset by algae blooms and large sections of the new coating appear to be peeling off the bottom.‌The US leader has repeatedly blamed the peeling paint and shoddy workmanship at the Reflecting Pool on vandalism, but has yet to provide a shred of evidence to support the claims."It was purposefully and criminally done, and somebody had to work very hard, probably in the dark of night, to create such a condition," Trump wrote on Tuesday, adding that another seven people were cited for allegedly damaging the pool.“Likewise, the small area at the bottom of the Pool was cut and powerfully lifted off the surface, leaving very jagged, uneven edges,” he added.‌The president also claimed the damage was made by a very sharp knife or razors” and “is actually numerous slashes over a very long 350-foot length.”The Associated Press verified that one man was arrested after touching the already-peeling paint. He said he wanted to examine the new coating, touching a still-attached chunk briefly then letting go shortly after a park worker told him to.‌National Guard members and Park Police have since been patrolling the area after Trump insisted over the weekend that vandals were responsible for damage to the liner, again without providing evidence.Speaking to reporters after Air Force One landed in Pennsylvania, Trump said the department of the interior is "going to share" photos and videos of the alleged vandalism.Article continues belowOn Monday, Mr Trump alleged "somebody said they might have put fertiliser" in the pool. "They did something to create the algae. But that doesn’t matter, because that’s been purified. It’s dead, laying at the bottom." There is no evidence fertiliser has been added to the pool.Workers have meanwhile been seen pouring hydrogen peroxide into the pool in an attempt to kill the algae.Experts say the chemical can also act as a paint remover, while the dark-coloured lining may itself be contributing to the algae problem by absorbing more sunlight and warming the water.