Trump Updates on Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
President Donald Trump has shared news about the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, mentioning the installation of cameras to help monitor and prevent vandalism at this significant landmark he had refurbished earlier this year.
Late Thursday, Trump announced that the pool has been refilled after it was damaged by vandals over the summer. They had reportedly peeled off the new swimming pool lining, leading to a flooding issue that compelled his team to drain it for repairs back in July.
“The Reflecting Pool is 85% full and looking really good! It hasn’t functioned properly since 1922, but now it will. We have set up cameras to deter any potential vandalism, including in the grass areas that were ruined by a chemical poisoning that displayed a large, very inappropriate phrase. The grass was completely replaced!” Trump noted on Truth Social.
It appears the cameras will also monitor the grassy sections of the National Mall, which itself was vandalized in June with a large message reading “8647.” This has been interpreted as a threat against Trump, with “86” suggesting the removal of something in restaurant slang, while “47” points to Trump being the 47th president. According to Trump, the vandals used chemicals to kill the grass in the shape of those numbers.
The Reflecting Pool, located between the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., has been in the spotlight for several months. Observers noted when Trump first announced the project, criticizing the previous administration for neglecting the “filthy” state of the pool and highlighting how much lower the refurbishment costs were compared to estimates from the Biden administration.
Despite the scrutiny surrounding the Reflecting Pool renovation, it’s just one part of a broader set of projects tackled during Trump’s second term. He has also renovated the Arts of War sculptures close to the Lincoln Memorial, as well as Freedom Plaza and Columbus Circle, alongside adding a helipad and a large ballroom to the White House.
