A dead duckling was reportedly discovered in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool over the weekend as the fallout from Donald Trump’s recently completed renovation continued to grow.
The incident comes amid mounting criticism of the $14 million-plus makeover of the historic site, which has already drawn attention for an algae bloom that turned the water green just days after the pool was reopened.
Trump had ordered the basin painted “American flag blue” as part of the project, but the color quickly became less visible as algae spread across the shallow water and sections of the new blue coating began peeling away.
A photo circulating online appears to show the dead duckling floating in the murky pool, though officials have not confirmed the cause of death.
The reflecting pool has long been prone to algae growth, but the problems emerged almost immediately after the renovation was completed, prompting National Park Service crews to pour hydrogen peroxide into the water and use ozone nanobubbles and vacuum equipment in an effort to clear the bloom.
On Sunday, Trump said work would begin “immediately” to repair the “seriously vandalized” Reflecting Pool after administration officials said at least five people had been arrested on vandalism charges and five others had been issued citations.
“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,” the President penned.
Trump also alleged that vandalism was responsible for damage to the pool, saying someone had used “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.”
He later said that people had also attempted to damage the reflecting pool by pouring in “corrosive and destructive chemicals,” adding that the National Park Service had “arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Poll [sic]”.
“Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail!” he wrote about the alleged vandals on Truth Social, before adding that they are “proud of what they’ve done with this magnificent structure,” promising to “get it repaired, quickly, to an equal level of Beauty.”
Officials have not publicly confirmed Trump’s claims about sabotage, and the immediate cause of the peeling coating and algae bloom remains unclear.