Surveyors work at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, DC on July 15, 2026. US President Donald Trump said, on July 13, the newly renovated Reflecting Pool in Washington was drained for repairs, after the project has faced a series of setbacks, including alleged vandalism. The renovation of the pool next to the US capital's Lincoln Memorial is a pet project of Trump's, but the remodel has been dogged by the growth of algae and peeling paint which the president alleges is the work of vandals. "We drained the beautiful 'Reflecting Pool' today in order to fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals two weeks ago," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late Monday, adding that they waited until after the July Fourth holiday to drain the pool. (Photo by Alex WROBLEWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)