Trump and His Obsession with DC’s Reflecting Pool

Washington’s Reflecting Pool turned green just days after an expensive renovation driven by Donald Trump. The president attributed the problem to sabotage with knives and chemicals, although specialists point to natural factors such as heat and the color of the new coating.

The controversy transformed a maintenance problem into a matter of national politics. The pool is one of the most iconic monuments in the country and its current state clashes with the White House plans to celebrate 250 years of United States independence.

What Happened with the Renovation?

The federal government invested nearly 16 million dollars to empty the facility, apply a new dark blue coating, and improve algae control. The goal was for the water to reflect a color similar to the blue of the American flag.

However, just days after the reopening, the water became murky. According to The Washington Post, the surface filled with green algae and parts of the blue paint began to peel off the bottom.

The Interior Department explained that the initial algae proliferation was a residual effect from the pipes. But the situation did not improve, which forced deployment of a cleaning system with vacuums and nanobubbles, generating an additional cost of 1.7 million dollars.

The pool sits on marshy terrain and has a long history of leaks. A renovation executed during Barack Obama’s administration in 2009 failed to solve the underlying problems, so this new project was presented as the definitive solution.

Why Does Trump Talk About Sabotage?

The president reacted to the deterioration with harsh messages on Truth Social. He claimed that «vandals» had ruined the project and asserted that those responsible used some type of knife to make a 250-foot cut in the coating.

He also insinuated that someone dumped chemicals in the water to trigger algae growth. In his messages, he warned that he would impose sentences of up to 10 years in prison for those who destroy federal monuments.

Police arrested or fined about 10 people near the pool. However, some of the accused told the media they only collected pieces of paint that were already floating in the water. One of those detained was David Hearn, a former Olympic athlete, who faces charges of property damage, according to Fox News.

An internal document obtained by The New York Times revealed that there is no evidence that cuts in the coating caused the algae plague. Despite this