U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that repairs to Washington DC’s iconic Reflecting Pool will begin immediately after he inspected the site in a helicopter. The 1920‑s built pool, which recently received a fresh coat of blue paint, has been plagued by algae growth that turns the water bright green and by vandalism that has allegedly marred the paint job. Despite a multi‑million dollar renovation that cost roughly $13 million, authorities say the pool may need to be drained and refilled again this month.
Trump warned that the pool’s paint has been vandalised in the run‑up to the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebrations. U.S. Attorney for Washington DC, Jeanine Pirro, pledged to aggressively prosecute anyone found to have damaged the pool, stating that “anyone who is in a position of vandalising or attempting to vandalise will face the criminal justice system in DC.”
According to a senior Trump administration official, five people have been arrested for vandalism and five more issued citations. A total of 14 police reports have been filed, including one involving a 250‑foot long gash allegedly caused by a blade on the pool’s façade.
The Reflecting Pool, which stretches 2,030 ft between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long been beset by leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae growth and bird droppings. Despite the recent makeover, the pool remains plagued by algae and paint problems, with media and visitors reporting peeling paint from the new job.
On a Sunday tweet, Trump announced: “Work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalised Reflecting Pool.” He added, “I just inspected it, and could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing? SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!” The post appeared as his helicopter returned to the White House after a weekend at Camp David.
Officials say that, over the weekend, a former Olympic athlete was arrested for vandalising the pool, while a champion canoeist named David “Davey” Hearn claimed he only touched the peeling paint and that no damage was done. Hearn called his arrest an “arbitrary, capricious prosecution.”
The pool has been treated with chemicals, reportedly including hydrogen peroxide, to combat a green algae bloom that emerged after the stock’s recent refill. A news photographer spotted a dead duckling floating in the pool; the cause of its death remains unclear.
Aquatic ecologist Rosalina Stancheva Christova sampled the pool’s water, confirming that the green algae species is Desmodesmus, which is harmless to humans and animals. However, experts warn that birds could introduce other algae that carry harmful bacteria, and that the pool’s ecosystem is highly dynamic, requiring constant monitoring to identify the organisms present.
