Donald Trump boasted about the durability of the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool weeks before announcing the site would need to be drained again. Speaking on 4 May 2026, the US president said the pool’s surface is “very, very strong”, claiming that even a knife couldn’t cut through it. The structure has undergone weeks of renovation after Trump decided to drain the pool and have its surface spray-painted with what he called an “American flag-blue” coating similar to those used in chlorinated swimming pools. “This will last for at least 50 years, and you'll never have a leak,” he added On Tuesday (23 June), Mr Trump announced that the pool will need to be drained again due to alleged vandalism. “We have a 290,300-foot slit right through it.”

The president also blamed damage to the renovations on “vandals,” and said multiple people have been arrested.

The president posted on Truth Social claiming vandals slashed the pool's lining and poured chemicals into the water, saying arrests have been made. He provided no evidence for his…