President Donald Trump said Tuesday that six people have been arrested over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, as the president's $14-million-plus rehabilitation project gone awry increasingly becomes a flashpoint ahead of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
In a social media post, Trump claimed without supporting evidence that there had been a "350 foot gash" in the paint as the administration faces a self-imposed deadline to fix the botched renovation before the nation's 250th anniversary celebration next week. He has also said, including again on Tuesday, that the federal government would release images to substantiate his claim.
Trump pledged to beautify the century-old Reflecting Pool ahead of the anniversary celebrations. However, during the renovation, the blue coating applied to the pool's bottom began to peel and float to the surface. National Park Service employees were forced to clean the pool using vacuums.
AP photographers captured the peeling blue coating and algae in the pool between June 20 and 22. National Guard members were also deployed to inspect the pool. Despite Trump's claims, no additional evidence has been released so far.