Fact Check: Did the FBI determine what knife allegedly slashed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool?
WASHINGTON, DC: After a court filing confirmed that the liner of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a knife or razor, a rumor began circulating on social media claiming that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had identified the specific knife allegedly used in the act of vandalism.
The claim also alleged that President Donald Trump commented on the weapon during a briefing and that FBI Director Kash Patel planned to pursue charges under a so-called "Grey's Law." However, the viral claim does not hold up under scrutiny. Let us examine the facts.
Claim: FBI identified the knife used to vandalize the Reflecting Pool
A viral social media post claims that the FBI has identified the type of knife used to damage the Reflecting Pool.
According to the Facebook post, the FBI believes the weapon was a Hanlon's razor allegedly used by tradesmen and featuring a diamond-encrusted titanium blade sharpened to .0005 microns.
"These things are hard to find," President Donald Trump allegedly said during a short briefing, "That means Kash will have a nice short list of people in the area who own them."
The post further claimed that Patel intended to charge anyone connected with the damage under Section One of "Grey's Law."
Fact Check: Satire page created the false FBI knife claim
The claim is false. There have been no official statements from the FBI identifying the type of knife allegedly used to damage the Reflecting Pool.
Likewise, there are no credible reports that Trump held a briefing discussing the alleged weapon or that Patel referenced "Grey's Law" in connection with the incident.
A Google search for the claim produces no credible news reports or official announcements supporting the allegations. Such a development would likely have received widespread media coverage if it had actually occurred.
Further review shows that the claim originated from the Facebook page 'America's Last Line of Defense,' which clearly identifies itself as satire. The page's bio states, "Nothing on this page is real."
Therefore, the viral post was intended as satire and not as a factual report.
Court filing confirms knife or razor damage to Reflecting Pool
The viral claim surfaced after a National Park Service official stated in a court filing on Thursday, June 25, that the Reflecting Pool's liner had been cut with a knife or razor.
The filing followed Trump's earlier remarks in May, when he praised the durability of the renovated Reflecting Pool, saying, "if you had a knife, you can't even cut it." Weeks later, he attributed the damage to vandals who allegedly slashed the liner with knives.
The court filing marks the first public record indicating that the damage may have been intentionally caused, following weeks of public discussion surrounding the recently renovated project.
