Karoline Leavitt has been criticised online after she accused the liberal media of being “deranged” over its coverage of the controversy surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The row has escalated after the Trump administration spent roughly $14 million to repair and reseal the bottom of the iconic pool as part of a White House push to have it ready ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026.
Work on the project began in April 2026, with the National Park Service closing the reflecting pool and nearby walkways while crews cleaned, repaired joints and installed a new lining. The pool reopened in June after weeks of construction.
The chosen colour was described as:
“American Flag Blue.”
Instead of producing the intended look, the pool quickly became the subject of ridicule when the water turned a murky green after reopening, prompting fresh jokes and memes across social media.
Officials then tried to correct the problem by adding hydrogen peroxide and other treatments, including nanobubble ozone technology, in an effort to fight the algae bloom.
That move appeared to leave parts of the pool looking blue around the edges, but a large green band remained visible through the middle, doing little to calm the backlash.
The situation worsened again when sections of the newly applied coating began peeling away from the floor of the pool, adding to the embarrassment around the renovation.
President Trump addressed the issue in two Truth Social posts, arguing that the damage was the result of sabotage rather than a failed refurbishment. He alleged that vandals had cut a 250-foot line into the painted surface with blades and poured damaging chemicals into the water. He also said:
“many”
arrests had already been made.
Those claims were widely doubted, and demonstrations later took place at the memorial. Among the more eye-catching protest props was a pink frog carrying the label:
“AMPHIFA”
On June 23, Trump said six people had been arrested in connection with the alleged damage, while federal officers and Park Police continued to patrol the area around the memorial as work to stabilise the pool carried on.
Some of the president’s supporters also blamed political opponents for the destruction, although no credible proof was offered publicly.
Leavitt entered the row after a Republican account on X objected to how much attention the story was getting in the press. Responding to that complaint, the White House press secretary wrote:
“So true, and so sad. The liberal media is truly deranged.”
Her reply quickly prompted criticism from social media users, who argued that the administration itself had helped turn the pool into a major story.
Trump had repeatedly highlighted the renovation before its problems became public, leading critics to say it was disingenuous for the White House to suggest journalists had exaggerated its importance.
One user responded:
“Could it be that people are talking about it because Trump spent weeks and weeks talking about how big this project was? Y’all created this news cycle.”
Others pointed to the administration’s wider spending choices, questioning why food assistance cuts had been defended as necessary while a multimillion-dollar visual overhaul of a national landmark was being backed so forcefully.
Critics also resurfaced older posts in which Leavitt had celebrated the pool project herself, adding another layer of awkwardness to her attempt to dismiss the coverage.
The White House and Karoline Leavitt have been approached for comment.