Fact Check: Did Kash Patel announce an investigation into the vandalism of the Reflecting Pool?
WASHINGTON, DC: After President Donald Trump announced that federal authorities had made "multiple arrests" for alleged vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a claim began circulating on social media that FBI Director Kash Patel had said an investigation into the situation was underway, sparking speculation. Let us analyze the origins of the claim and fact-check it.
Claim: Kash Patel announced an investigation into vandalism of the Reflecting Pool
According to the viral claim, Patel said, “This was a sophisticated attack that was well-funded and planned.”
He allegedly said the Antifa Algae Attack Task Force "won't rest until every last one of them is behind bars." "We have two in custody. If they know what's good for them, they'll talk,” the FBI director announced, as per the post.
It further claims that authorities found that the algae dumped by "college students" was laced with a peptide that began breaking down the compound that binds the coating to the concrete.
The subsequent attacks by people "curious" about the coating were to start a tear, and the chemical reaction did the rest, the viral Facebook post said.
Netizens commenting under the post appear to believe the claim is authentic, as many are mocking the FBI’s involvement in the issue.
Fact Check: The claim originated as a parody
However, there is no evidence that the FBI director made such an announcement or launched an investigation into the damage to the Reflecting Pool.
There are also no records of official statements or press releases by the agency that supports the claim.
Also, the existence of a unit called "Antifa Algae Attack Task Force" as mentioned in the post is baseless and not supported by facts.
A search on Google for relevant keywords yielded no credible reports by prominent news media outlets, which, if true, would not go unreported.
Moreover, the post was accompanied by a photo of Patel and the damaged pool, which has an overlay text on the bottom left corner stating, "Nothing on this page is real." Hence, the post was intended as a parody.
Trump said law enforcement was investigating Reflecting Pool vandalism
Trump said on Friday, June 19, that recent problems affecting the Reflecting Pool were the result of vandalism and that law enforcement authorities are investigating the matter.
The comments came as officials continue their efforts to address algae growth and peeling material at the recently renovated landmark.
“We’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which sits between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
"Just like three days ago, they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool, they’ve also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed,” he claimed.
Trump announced on Saturday that multiple arrests had been made for the "disgraceful Vandalism of our beautiful Reflecting Pool," claiming that the alleged vandals used a knife or blade to "put a 250 foot long gash into the beautiful facade" of the pool and that they also "poured corrosive and destructive chemicals" into it.
