Donald Trump offered a notably unusual description of his latest White House refurbishment efforts after weeks of upheaval.
The 80-year-old former president has been obsessed with upgrading the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington.
While praising the White House improvements, Trump revived a claim even though no damage had been found after the pool was drained.
The Interior Department awarded no-bid contracts totaling more than $14 million for the renovations to firms with close ties to Trump’s presidential campaign or to private interests.
After the renovation, workers painted the basin in a shade described as “American flag blue,” but the coating soon peeled away and floated to the surface.
“All A Lie!”: Trump Drains the Reflecting Pool After Claiming Mass Vandalism—But Then the Internet Uncovered the Truth and He May Be to Blame
Not to mention the enormous algae blooms that overtook the Reflecting Pool, adding another layer of embarrassment for Trump.
Rather than taking responsibility for hiring subpar contractors, the president attributed the damage to vandals without offering any corroborating evidence.
In recent weeks, workers have drained the Reflecting Pool twice to address the alleged damage.
The real estate developer turned Republican politician also had fencing and tarps installed around the DC landmark, preventing spectators from getting a clear view of the troubled facelift.
While touting his Washington beautification agenda, Trump referenced the Reflecting Pool during a lengthy address in Milford, Michigan, on July 27.
Yet his grand boast unraveled when he misnamed the Reflecting Pool after presenting remodeling claims that collapsed under scrutiny.
“The beautiful reflecting pond where we did some job. Somebody comes along and starts cutting it with a knife. They’re sick,” Trump told his audience of supporters, again offering no proof.
He offered another statement that triggered a flood of questions about his mental state.
“But it’s in the hospital now, but it’s going to get better very soon,” Trump said about the Reflecting Pool.
“It’s almost ready to open. We could have kept it that way for a while, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to have it fixed perfectly,” the president insisted.
The latest update about the Reflecting Pool provoked a torrent of online commentary as a video of Trump’s remarks circulated.
“He just stands there and tells lies. He lies like the rest of us breathe,” one user on X declared.
Another comment exclaimed, “He’s insane. He needs to be in a Straight Jacket!”
Jokes continued to pour in, yet many commenters questioned Trump’s ability to discuss the Reflecting Pool as a real, living thing.
“The reflecting pool is in the hospital now; where can we send flowers?” one account quipped, mockingly addressing the president.
On Threads, a Trump critic wrote, “Besides being a pathological liar, he has a kindergarten-level sense of humor.”
“I think he tries to be clever, but he says so many outlandish things on a regular basis that you can’t separate the intentional jokes from the sheer absurdity,” offered another commentator.
The Reflecting Pool controversy has undermined Trump’s carefully cultivated image and exposed ordinary people to possible legal jeopardy.
U.S. Olympian David Hearn is among at least six individuals arrested in connection with the alleged vandalism at the Reflecting Pool.
Hearn, 67, pleaded not guilty to a single felony count of property destruction. A trial is set to begin on Sept. 28 in D.C. Superior Court.
“I didn’t remove, tear, rip, break or destroy any part of it,” he told NBC News in June. “The condition of the Reflecting Pool remained the same after I stepped away from the water as it did before I arrived.”
On July 21, California Representative Robert Garcia criticized Trump over the Reflecting Pool debacle. He spoke during a Democratic “shadow hearing” examining the president’s so-called “vanity projects” in Washington.
Garcia, 48, said, “There is currently a $14 million renovation underway that has been plagued by algae and a bottom that’s chipping away and falling apart at the Reflecting Pool.”
“It was built so incompetently that they’re trying to pin the blame on an innocent man to cover up their shoddy work, with contracts going to Donald Trump’s friends and donors. What a disgrace and utterly shameful,” the congressman added.
Garcia’s comments highlighted how a project Trump promoted as an upgrade has instead fueled political attacks, criminal proceedings, and mounting questions about the troubled renovation.
