Botched installation blamed as Trump dares vandals to damage almost-refilled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Trump issues a warning

Trump said on Monday that the pool was “70% filled with water and looking good.” He also warned that anyone who damaged it again would “GO TO JAIL,” adding that security cameras had been installed. He claimed the pool had leaked since it was built in 1922 and said its pipes had been replaced. Trump also repeated an allegation that someone poisoned Mall grass to spell out “86 47” in letters 90 feet tall, but offered no evidence; the video attached to his post did not appear to show it.

Court filings point to installation

Federal prosecutors appointed by Trump told a court that the pool’s lining was damaged by a botched installation, not by vandals. Prosecutors later dropped charges against Hearn and said in a court filing that the “American flag blue” coating Trump requested began peeling “almost immediately.” Trump publicly urged Pirro to reconsider her decision. A judge then blocked a second prosecution, citing the likelihood of “political pressure,” and D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman later dismissed the case, calling another prosecution “simply fanciful.”

Refilling and repair costs

The pool began refilling last week. A sign at the site said the water could temporarily look cloudy as the National Park Service and contractors completed work to clean and repair the landmark.

Trump initially said the renovation could be completed quickly for about $1.5 million. The cost is now close to $20 million, with much of it paid through no-bid contracts. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in July no new contracts would be awarded after spending exceeded $17 million, but the National Park Service issued a $2.7 million water-treatment contract the next month.

Mall grass repairs

Repairs have been needed across much of the National Mall’s grass in recent months. The damage was attributed to structures erected for the president’s “Great American State Fair” earlier this year, rather than the poisoning allegation Trump repeated.