Doug Burgum vows 'full' prosecution as 7 arrested in connection with Reflecting Pool vandalism

WASHINGTON, DC: Doug Burgum is drawing a hard line against anyone accused of vandalizing his boss, Donald Trump's, ambitious Reflecting Pool project.

The 69-year-old Interior Secretary vowed on Saturday, June 27, to pursue "full" prosecution against vandals accused of slashing a 350-foot-long gash into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The $16 million renovation has been facing fierce scrutiny after patches of green algae, cloudy water, and construction concerns overshadowed Trump’s project to restore the capital's century-old pool between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

Doug Burgum confirms 7 arrested for vandalising the pool

Speaking on Fox & Friends Weekend, Burgum detailed the damage and the administration's response, saying that authorities have made 7 arrests, issued multiple citations, and logged 18 police reports related to the alleged vandalism.

He insisted that the damage stretched nearly 350 feet across the Reflecting Pool's industrial rubber liner, adding that investigators believe it was deliberately sliced with a box cutter.

Images circulated by several news outlets also included graffiti made by anti-Trump protestors defacing the pool, including "8647," interpreted by many as a call to violence or a call to remove the president.

Burgum did not say whether charges had been filed against those arrested, but he said they would be prosecuted.

"When people are attacking it [the Reflecting Pool], it is like an attack on our country," Burgum said. "These are our most sacred monuments, and they [the perpetrators] are gonna be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

"The Reflecting Pool [is] part of the 1922 Lincoln Memorial. When people are using box cutters to do vandalism on this thing, it's the same as if they were throwing paint on Lincoln's statue in the eyes of the law,” he continued.

A fence has also been installed around the pool as a cautionary measure. Burgum noted that installing the fence was part of the project because fireworks will be launched by the Reflecting Pool on July 4, but it was installed a few days early for extra protection

Trump rejoices, ‘criminally made algae is gone’

Burgum’s claims came after President Trump announced that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was back “in full use” as he spent the day on a rainy tour of his Washington, DC, beautification efforts.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that the pool was working well, adding that the “criminally made algae is gone.”

“It never worked properly until last week and, right after July 4th, when we will drain the water to treat the damage caused by these ’animals,’ it will again be in perfect shape,” added the president.

The project has gone on for weeks as workers have dumped chemicals and worked daily to treat algae. At times, the pool has appeared lime green due to the algae, with chunks of separated blue coating and even dead ducklings visible in the water.