WaPo Deep Dive Pours Cold Water All Over Trump’s Reflecting Pool Vandalism Claims

Rahmat Gul/AP Photo

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s lining likely peeled away because the material was installed incorrectly, experts told The Washington Post, which sent reporters to the site as President Donald Trump has regularly raged about “vandalism” — including with a knife –damaging the iconic spot.

Instead of vandalism, the outlet found seven places where the lining peeled away along the seams — indicating errors in its application, according to experts who reviewed the findings.

The lining is a waterproof membrane painted onto the concrete basin, The Post reported, noting the peeling their reporters observed was in “irregularly shaped patches” which varied from a few inches to as long as six feet.

In one place in the reflecting pool, reporters could see the concrete below the lining, the paper said.

They used satellite images and photos and videos from before and after the renovation to help identify the problems and experts who examined the material said the peeling “strongly suggested errors in the application process,” according to the outlet.

The White House slammed the report, telling The Post, “There were no missteps during the initial repairs to the pool.”

“Unfortunately, deranged individuals made several gashes in the side of the pool and destroyed over 300 feet of the pool’s siding. Once the necessary repairs to fix the vandalism are complete, the Reflecting Pool will be restored to all its glory,” spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told the outlet.

Trump has insisted the reflecting pool was attacked by vandals. A renovation earlier this summer painted the bottom American Flag Blue, and costs swelled to $16 million.

On Monday, the president again discussed the pool, announcing on Truth Social it had been drained again “in order to fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals two weeks ago.”

“The slashes were 300 yards long, and the floor of the pool was cut and then pulled upward, with great force, by these thugs,” adding, “These Country hating sleazebags should pay a big price for the damage done.”

Olympian David Hearn was arrested for allegedly vandalizing the reflecting pool and pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of destruction of property.

Hearn has insisted he“didn’t destroy or break or peel anything” at the reflecting pool.

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