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SINK OR SWIM

Trump Forced to Admit His ‘Beautiful’ Project Turned Into a Gross Horror

Trump’s pool renovation efforts have become another point of humiliation for the octogenarian.

Donald Trump

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

By Vic Verbalaitis

Even President Donald Trump admits that his pet project to “restore” the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has failed miserably.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump commented on the sad state of the Reflecting Pool after he ordered a hasty $14 million project to paint it “American Flag Blue.”

“Work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool. I just inspected it, and could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing?” the president, 80, wrote. “SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE! We will fix it?”

donald trump truth social

The president refused to take responsibility for his botched restoration project, instead opting to blame his failure on vandals.

Donald Trump/Truth Social

It’s unclear how Trump “inspected” the pool, though the president shared his social media post shortly after returning to the White House following his weekend visit to Camp David in Maryland. The president may have viewed the pool from above while aboard Marine One. He was later seen returning to the White House by vehicle.

U.S. President Donald Trump.
BLAME GAME

Trump’s Reflecting Pool Fiasco Takes Another Mortifying Turn

Olivia Ralph

The White House did not immediately return the Daily Beast’s request for comment.

U.S. National Park Service employee works to remove algae in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after recent renovations following a directive from U.S. President Donald Trump to paint it blue ahead of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 20, 2026. REUTERS/Daniel Heuer

Workers have continually tried to remove the algae bloom that has spawned since the pool's renovation finished.

Daniel Heuer/REUTERS

Trump’s pet project—which was originally estimated to cost $1.8 million—has become a disaster, as his vow to renovate the D.C. landmark has led to one of the pool’s worst algae blooms in years.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 03: U.S. President Donald Trump displays a rendering of his proposed renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during an event in the Oval Office of the White House on June 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. The landmark is being painted as part of President Trump's efforts to repair Washington D.C. in preparation for the Nation's 250th birthday. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
BIG FLAP

Trump’s Reflecting Pool Mess Poses an Unexpected New Threat

Mary Papenfuss

Within days of the pool’s reopening after its basin was repainted, the water turned a swampy green from algal growth.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 03: U.S. President Donald Trump displays a rendering of his proposed renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during an event in the Oval Office of the White House on June 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. The landmark is being painted as part of President Trump's efforts to repair Washington D.C. in preparation for the Nation's 250th birthday. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Trump's plan to repaint the Reflecting Pool "American Flag Blue" has backfired spectacularly.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Workers have tried to offset the bloom by removing the algae and pouring hydrogen peroxide into the water, though witnesses have reported that blue paint flakes have floated to the surface of the pool.

The president has blamed the catastrophic “renovation” on vandals, and said on his social media platform that “multiple individuals” have been arrested in connection with the alleged acts of vandalism.

Trump with waterhose
DERANGED

Trump Unravels Into AI Fantasy After Reflecting Pool Fiasco

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In one post, Trump claimed that the alleged vandals “took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250 foot long gash into the beautiful facade of what took so much work, competence, and money to build and complete.”

Donald Trump Truth Social post reads: "Many additional people have been arrested having to do with the disgraceful Vandalism of our beautiful Reflecting Pool. It hasn’t looked or worked like this since 1922, when it was originally built, but even then, it leaked badly, and didn’t work. Ours worked perfectly, including the mirror like finish, perfectly reflecting the two Great Monuments, which it never had before! What these terrible Vandals have done is a true affront to both Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and should be dealt with accordingly. We met with contractors today, will probably be forced to release and drain much of the water in order to do the necessary repairs, but will have them done as quickly as possible. What they have damaged does not even include the earlier killing of a large amount of grass which was, by far, the least of it. They took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250 foot long gash into the beautiful facade of what took so much work, competence, and money to build and complete. They also poured corrosive and destructive chemicals into the Pool. The Reflecting Pool was never so beautiful as it was just one week ago, even going back to 1922 when it opened. We are very proud of what we have done with this magnificent structure, and we will get it repaired, quickly, to an equal level of Beauty. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

“The Reflecting Pool was never so beautiful as it was just one week ago,” Trump wrote.

Truth Social

Trump’s top federal prosecutor in Washington, Jeanine Pirro, echoed the president’s claims of vandalism, warning against those planning to use “serious products” to spawn algae in the pool.

“Anyone who is in a position of vandalizing or attempting to vandalize the Reflecting Pool will face the criminal justice system in D.C.,” the former Fox News personality, 75, said on the conservative network on Sunday.

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Vic Verbalaitis
Vic VerbalaitisNight Breaking News Reporter

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