Lead

US President Donald Trump has threatened a "10 year prison sentence" for anyone caught vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, after the recently renovated structure lost its blue color within weeks.

The threat came as the pool, which was repainted "American flag blue" ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations, turned green due to algae growth and experienced peeling paint. The Trump administration awarded a $14.7 million no-bid contract to Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings to recoat the pool, which will now be drained and re-renovated under warranty.

Coverage Comparison

Deutsche Welle reported Trump's threat and his comments blaming "sick, deranged" people for vandalizing the pool. The outlet also noted that five people were arrested for vandalizing the pool and five others were issued federal citations.

The Guardian reported on the pool's renovation problems, including the no-bid contract and the algae growth. One Guardian article focused on comedian Jon Stewart's reaction to the pool turning green, while another detailed the history of the pool and previous renovation efforts.

Key Claims

  • Trump threatened a 10-year prison sentence for vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to Deutsche Welle. He posted on Truth Social: "Please remember that there is a 10 year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things - Which will be fully enforced!" He did not provide proof of reported vandalism.
  • The Trump administration awarded a $14.7 million no-bid contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings to recoat the pool "American flag blue," as reported by Deutsche Welle and The Guardian. The pool, built in 1922, runs more than 2,000 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.
  • The pool turned green due to algae growth after the renovation, according to both outlets. The paint began to peel off and algae took hold in the shallow, stagnant water.
  • Five people were arrested for vandalizing the pool and five others issued federal citations, Deutsche Welle reported. Among those arrested was a former Olympian who denied the charges.
  • The Obama administration spent about $34 million to repair and renovate the pool, ending in 2012, according to The Guardian. That project addressed leaks, filtration and paint, and made the pool shallower.
  • The Cultural Landscape Foundation filed a lawsuit to stop the paint job on the pool, The Guardian reported. The foundation argued the historic color of the pool is grayish, not "American flag blue."
  • Jon Stewart joked about the pool turning green and criticized the administration's handling of the situation in a segment on The Daily Show, as reported by The Guardian. Stewart noted the company hired to fix the pool, Greenwater Services, is owned by Republican donor John J. Cafaro, who was convicted of bribing a congressman in 2001.

Perspectives

The Trump administration: Trump has framed the pool's problems as the result of vandalism by "sick, deranged" people, and has threatened strict punishment for those responsible. He claimed there was a 290-to-300-foot "slit" through the pool, likely caused by a sharp object, saying "They went in there with a knife," without providing evidence.

Critics and observers: Comedian Jon Stewart, in a Daily Show segment, mocked the administration's handling of the pool, questioning the quality of the renovation and the connections of the companies involved. The Cultural Landscape Foundation has filed a lawsuit to stop the paint job, arguing that the historic color of the pool should be preserved.