Trump blames vandalism for drained Reflecting Pool, blasts David Muir

Trump the president said a knife or box cutter slashed a waterproofing liner at the National Mall landmark, disputing an ABC report that tied the draining to peeling paint and algae blooms.

First Published: July 13, 2026, 7:14 PM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald Trump blamed vandalism for the drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and attacked ABC News over its coverage.

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “ABC Fake News and its shaky anchor, David Muir, said that the Reflecting Pool was drained to address Peeling Paint (there is no paint, it was slashed with a knife, or box cutter, high grade colored waterproofing liner – it was VANDALISM!) and Algae Blooms (also caused by Vandals, but removed long ago!). In other words, the story was FAKE NEWS, but heavily slanted away from the real cause of the problem, Vandalism. It will be fixed soon, and better than ever. 60 monuments and fountains have been cleaned and fully renovated in D.C., and crime is at record lows! Washington has never looked better, or been safer! President DJT”

The president said a knife or box cutter cut the pool’s high-grade colored waterproofing liner, not peeling paint. He said the algae blooms cited in the ABC report also stemmed from vandalism and that crews removed them long ago. He said crews have cleaned and renovated 60 monuments and fountains in the capital, and that crime sits at record lows, in a post on July 13, 2026 at 10:53 PM ET.

The dispute pits the White House against ABC News, the broadcaster Trump has repeatedly branded “ABC Fake News.” The administration has cataloged its grievances against the network, accusing it of partisan coverage and citing a 2024 defamation settlement in which the network agreed to pay $16 million and issue a statement of regret (according to whitehouse.gov). David Muir anchors ABC’s flagship evening newscast, one of the most-watched programs in American television news.

The stakes reach beyond a single news segment. A vandalism claim shifts blame from a maintenance failure to a criminal act, reinforcing the president’s message that his crackdown has made Washington safer. The framing serves the administration’s law-and-order narrative and presses a network already in a running feud with the White House.

The Reflecting Pool stretches more than 2,000 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It has served as the backdrop for national gatherings, including the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Crews drained and rebuilt the pool before, most notably during a major reconstruction completed in 2012 that replaced its plumbing and water source.

The White House, symbol of American democracy and presidential authority, is seen at Washington D.C. on 07/13/2026.

The closure affects one of the most visited public spaces in the United States. Millions of tourists pass the National Mall each year, and a drained pool alters the view that draws them to the Lincoln Memorial steps.

This is not the first time Trump has clashed with ABC News. The network settled a defamation suit brought by Trump for $16 million in 2024, and the administration has continued to accuse it of slanted reporting (according to whitehouse.gov).

The next move rests with the National Park Service, which manages the National Mall and would oversee repairs and any investigation into the reported vandalism. A date for the completion of repairs has not been announced.

Presidents feuding with broadcasters is not new. Richard Nixon’s administration challenged network licenses and kept an enemies list that named journalists, and his aides pressed the Federal Communications Commission over coverage in the early 1970s. Those tensions culminated in televised Watergate hearings in 1973 that helped drive Nixon from office in 1974, a reminder that battles between the White House and the press can outlast any single president.