Trump changes Reflecting Pool 'gash' size again, but offers no evidence

US President Donald Trump has again altered the dimensions of what he claims is a vandalism-cut gash in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In his latest post on Truth Social on Monday, he stated that workers were repairing "scars and damage" caused by vandals using a knife or box cutter, and that the "slashes" stretched 300 yards. This contrasts with his earlier statements, where he described the damage as 250 feet, then 300 feet, and later 350 feet. If he intended "yards" instead of "feet," the alleged damage would measure 900 feet—roughly three times his original claim and equivalent to the length of three American football fields.

Despite repeatedly alleging deliberate vandalism, the Trump administration has not released any photos or physical evidence to back up the claim, even though officials insist such images exist. Media outlets that visited the site after the pool was drained reported seeing no obvious signs of extensive damage. Washington, DC photographer Joe Flood shared images showing no visible cuts, and attorney Matt Rein, who also visited, said online that he saw no large cut and that a worker told him they hadn't seen one either. Some social media users pointed to a long straight line across the drained pool as evidence, but closer photographs reveal it is a drainage channel, not a cut in the liner.

The dispute is the latest setback in a troubled renovation project. Trump had ordered the pool painted "American Flag blue" ahead of the July 4 celebrations for the US's 250th anniversary. However, heavy algae growth turned the water green, and chemicals used to kill the algae caused sections of the blue coating to chip away and float to the surface. Residents were seen retrieving flakes of blue paint from the water. Trump has rejected suggestions that the renovation itself or the contractor caused the problems, instead blaming vandals for both contaminating the water and cutting the pool's lining. This claim appears to conflict with his earlier remarks about the coating's durability; in early May, he said the material was so strong that "if you had a knife you couldn't even cut it. So strong. So powerful."