National Park Service Says Reflecting Pool Liner Was Slashed With A Blade

A senior official with the National Park Service (NPS) has confirmed in a legal filing that the liner along the basin of the iconic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was intentionally slashed with a blade earlier this month. The official statement aligns with recent claims made by US President Donald Trump, who has firmly blamed saboteurs for the rapid deterioration of a multi-million dollar renovation project.

Frank Lands, the deputy director for operations for the NPS, disclosed the information as part of an ongoing lawsuit launched by a non-profit organization attempting to halt the Trump administration's dramatic overhaul of the historic landmark. Lands' declaration serves as the very first public record confirming deliberate destruction at the site since its completion.

According to Lands, the US Park Police responded to an initial report of foul play on June 9th, shortly after the two-month rehabilitation project was considered "substantially complete."

"On June 9, 2026, after the rehabilitation project was substantially complete, the U.S. Park Police responded to an NPS report of damage to the reflecting pool, including a caulk over the foam sealant that was cut with a sharp knife or razor and destruction of delaminating surface material," Lands said in the court filing. "In addition, approximately 70 fence post tops were thrown into the pool."

The 2,030-foot-long pool between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial has historically suffered from structural degradation, leaking pipes, and wildlife debris. At the president's request, the basin was completely drained in April to modernize the infrastructure ahead of the United States' upcoming 250th anniversary.

The $14.7 million operation involved laying a tinted polyurea liner to protect the concrete basin. The choice of materials sparked immediate controversy, with critics taking legal action over the administration's specific mandate to dye the pool's bottom an "American flag blue."

Just days after being refilled, the site was plagued by an intense algae bloom that turned the vibrant blue water a murky green. Park workers had to use skimmers and chemical treatments like hydrogen peroxide to keep the bloom at bay. Compounding the issue, massive flakes of the fresh blue coating began delaminating and peeling away from the bottom to float on the surface.

While critics pointed toward structural failures or a botched application process, the White House shifted the blame entirely to outside actors. President Trump insisted that bad faith actors had created a massive 350-foot tear in the coating and introduced fertilizer into the ecosystem to trigger the algae.

Pressed by CBS News correspondent Ed O'Keefe to provide physical evidence of the massive gash, Trump remained steadfast.

"Yeah, at the right time you'll see it," Mr. Trump said of evidence of damage to the pool. "You'll see it in court. You'll see it in court, but all you have to do is call the Parks Department, call the Department of Interior."

The US Park Police confirmed that five individuals have been arrested for alleged vandalism at the pool, while another five received federal citations. However, specific details connecting these individuals to the massive tearing of the liner have yet to be publicized.

Among those detained was David Hearn, a three-time US Olympic canoeist arrested on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property. Hearn has strictly denied vandalizing the site, explaining to the Washington Post that he merely noticed a piece of the blue liner already peeling off and reached into the water out of simple curiosity to feel its texture.

The administration continues to face growing scrutiny to release surveillance footage or photos validating the scale of the sabotage. Government documents obtained by the New York Times suggested that while two distinct slices were found in the expansion joint foam, they were completely unrelated to the widespread peeling or the green algae.

In a separate move to gather evidence, the US Park Police released a video from a June 19th incident showing an unidentified individual reaching into the water to pull something from the floor, stating they are "seeking assistance in identifying the individual depicted here in connection with a Destruction of Government Property investigation."

To avoid disrupting upcoming Independence Day festivities, the NPS will wait until after the July 4th celebrations to fully drain the 2,000-foot-long basin once again to accurately assess the structural damage and mend the compromised lining.