President Donald Trump defended his administration’s beautification record in Washington, DC, despite the algae bloom in the recently overhauled reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial.
In a Truth Social post on June 19, the president blamed vandals for the troubles that have cropped up after the $16 million renovation of the pool.
“We’ve cleaned, renovated, and beautified over 45 Monuments and Memorials, 28 Statues and 22 Fountains in Washington, D.C. Things are looking really good in our Nation’s Capital,” the Truth Social post stated. “However, we’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial.”
“Just like three days ago, they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool, they’ve also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed,” Trump added. “No different than the chemicals that were used on the National Mall, they used something similar in the reflecting pool to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work.”
Trump’s post stated the algae is “75% gone, and the condition will soon be completely remedied, and the area that was vandalized, fortunately, is just a small area of damage, and will be fixed early next week.”
Law enforcement is investigating, Trump confirmed.
But historical records show algae has been a recurring issue in the pool for decades, possibly for much of its existence. After a $34 million renovation in 2012, the water turned into an “icky sea of algae” about a week after the pool was filled, USA TODAY previously reported. Workers were seen skimming the surface of the pool in the end nearest the World War II Memorial.
Algae blooms have plagued “every pool reopening since 1922,” according to a statement the Department of the Interior provided to USA TODAY.
Anyone who’s ever tried to maintain a swimming pool when it’s hot and rainy in the summer might be able to empathize with the National Park Service and the president over the algae.
Both warm water and sunlight can cause algae to rapidly multiply, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bloom in the pool at the Lincoln Memorial began to appear by June 11.
Temperatures in the DC area soared to 92 degrees on June 10, for the second time during the month, according to National Weather Service records. By June 12, the temperature reached a high of 100 degrees.
Additionally, nearly a tenth of an inch of rain fell on June 10 and June 12. Both are known to contribute to algae blooms in pools and ponds.
Nutrients that feed blooms can be blown in or carried in via particles that run off paved surfaces when it rains, according to the CDC.
Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, covers climate change, weather, the environment and other news. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
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