Trump says vandals used chemicals to damage newly renovated reflecting pool near Lincoln Memorial

By Fox News · Fox News

President Donald Trump on Friday said vandals damaged the recently renovated reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial, adding that authorities are investigating the incident. Trump's comments come as the recently renovated reflecting pool faces scrutiny over peeling paint and algae growth just weeks after a $14.8 million restoration project was completed. "Things are really looking good in our Nation’s Capital, and add to that the fact that when I became President, Crime was rampant , and now, Washington, D.C., is one of the Safest Cities anywhere in the United States," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "However, we’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial," he continued. WHITE HOUSE BLASTS WASHINGTON POST'S CLAIM REFLECTING POOL 'LOOKS ALMOST THE SAME' AFTER TRUMP RENOVATIONS "Just like three days ago, they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool, they’ve also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed." Trump accused vandals of damaging the grounds surrounding the reflecting pool and said they used chemicals to damage the pool's newly installed surface. "No different than the chemicals that were used on the National Mall , they used something similar in the Reflecting Pool to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work," he said. DIRT BIKES, ATVS DRIVEN AROUND WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, DC: VIDEO Trump's comments come about a week after a large "86 47" message appeared to be etched into the grass near the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the World War II Memorial. Administration officials previously characterized the message as threatening, arguing that "86" is sometimes used as slang for removing or getting rid of something, while "47" refers to Trump as the nation's 47th president. Trump announced on June 6 that the $14.8 million restoration project at the historic reflecting pool had been completed. Days…