A former U.S. Olympic athlete was arrested on suspicion of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool shortly after renovations were finished. David Hahn, 67, was taken into custody on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
Hahn, a three-time Olympian canoeist, claimed he came across a section of the pool’s new liner while biking near the monument. He mentioned that he touched the area right before park police apprehended him.
“I didn’t destroy anything,” Hahn said. “I didn’t break or strip anything. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already handcuffed.”
While he denied interacting with the hose used by park officials, he acknowledged that his bike might have brushed against it.
President Trump has been overseeing efforts to renovate the reflecting pool, which he described as “dirty.” Instead of undertaking an expensive overhaul that would involve removing all the rock from the bottom, he opted to seal the bottom with a swimming pool compound and paint it “American flag blue.”
Since revealing the newly painted pool to the public, workers have often been seen trying to deal with persistent green algae in the water.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump acknowledged the challenges around restoring the pool, as it’s part of a wider initiative to beautify the capital. He remarked that vandalism occurred shortly after the renovation’s completion.
“We have cleaned, renovated, and beautified a multitude of monuments, statues, and fountains in Washington, D.C. The conditions have significantly improved,” Trump stated. “However, there have been real issues with vandalism at the reflecting pool, just days after its completion.”
He pointed out recent vandalism at the National Mall, where the number “8647” was inscribed, interpreted as code related to his presidency.
“Seventy-five percent of the algae has vanished and the situation should recover fully soon. Fortunately, the impacted area is minor and repairs will be made next week,” he emphasized. “It’s unfortunate that someone with extreme views can act without consequence. Law enforcement is currently looking into the matter, and we expect it to be resolved shortly.”
