Trump Calls ABC’s Reflecting Pool Report Fake News, Blames Vandalism
Trump disputes ABC News coverage of the drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, saying a knife or box cutter caused the damage, not peeling paint.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald Trump accused ABC News and anchor David Muir of misreporting why crews drained the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, saying vandalism, not maintenance, was the true cause.
Trump wrote that the network claimed crews emptied the pool to address peeling paint and algae blooms, and he rejected both explanations. There is no paint, he said, describing a high-grade colored waterproofing liner that someone slashed with a knife or box cutter. He said crews had removed the algae long ago and that the story steered viewers away from the real cause.
Here is the full post on Truth Social: “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” on July 13, 2026 at 10:53 PM ET.
This is the first message Trump released today. On average, Trump produces roughly 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
The stakes center on how the public reads the condition of Washington’s most visited landmarks. Trump tied the pool repair to a broader claim that crews have cleaned and renovated 60 monuments and fountains in the District of Columbia. He said crime sits at record lows and that Washington has never looked better or safer. The framing bolsters the administration’s public-safety message while pinning the damage on unnamed vandals.
Trump’s clash with the network has a documented history. The White House published a lengthy attack on the broadcaster titled “ABC “News” Is Fake News,” which listed grievances stretching back years (see whitehouse.gov). It cited a defamation suit that the network settled for $16 million along with a statement of regret (see whitehouse.gov). The critique also referenced coverage disputes over debates, pardons and policy legislation (see whitehouse.gov).
The White House and its surrounding grounds are pictured in a panoramic view at Washington D.C. on 07/13/2026.
Photo by / Wikimedia Foundation
For the average reader, the dispute touches the upkeep of federal landmarks that draw millions of visitors each year to the National Mall. A drained Reflecting Pool alters the promenade between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, one of the most photographed public spaces in the country.
Has this happened before? This has happened before. Trump has repeatedly labeled major networks as biased and singled out individual anchors, and the running feud with ABC News predates this post by years (see whitehouse.gov). The pattern of naming a broadcaster and rebutting a specific story has recurred throughout his public messaging.
The next decision on the repair rests with the National Park Service, which manages the Reflecting Pool and the surrounding memorial grounds. Trump said the pool will be fixed soon and better than ever, but no one has announced a completion date.
Disputes over monuments on the National Mall are not new to the capital, as history shows. Builders completed the Reflecting Pool in the 1920s as part of the Lincoln Memorial design, and crews rebuilt it in a major reconstruction finished in 2012 to fix leaks and stagnant water. Crowds gathered at its edge during the 1963 March on Washington, when hundreds of thousands assembled along its banks. Each restoration returned the pool to service and reaffirmed its place as a stage for national gatherings. In the last 30 days, 20 of 538 Trump posts focused on crime.
Source: Zenger real-time database of all Truth Social posts.
Note: Chart generated on July 14, 2026 at 4:44 AM ET
Source: Zenger analysis real-time database of all Truth Social posts
Note: Table generated on July 14, 2026 at 4:44 AM ET