President Trump has denied responsibility for problems at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, despite a $16.4 million renovation. Speaking on Monday, he blamed external factors for issues like algae blooms and peeling polyurethane.
Mr. Trump described events he believes caused these issues. He stated that vandals allegedly used knives and fertilizer to damage the historic site, affecting its condition.
“They put, somebody said, fertilizer in the water,” Mr. Trump claimed. “If you put fertilizer in the water, you get algae. But somebody said they might have put fertilizer. They did something to create the algae.”
The President also addressed reports of polyurethane strips in the water. He suggested these were due to intentional damage, reportedly using tools like box cutters or knives.
“I can’t help it if somebody goes in with a knife and starts hacking it up,” he stated.
Katie Martin, an Interior Department spokeswoman, confirmed that five individuals faced vandalism charges. Authorities issued citations to five more people.
Despite these issues, President Trump maintained that the renovation proceeded successfully until the alleged vandalism occurred.
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