Fact Check: Did Trump deploy National Guard to protect Reflecting Pool from being vandalized?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the controversy over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a rumor began circulating on social media claiming that President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard to protect the pool from vandalism, sparking speculation and mockery. Let us analyze the rumor and fact-check the authenticity of the viral claim.
Claim: Donald Trump deployed National Guard to protect Reflecting Pool
According to the viral claim, the president has deployed the National Guard to prevent the Reflecting Pool from being sabotaged.
The claim has sparked mixed reactions among online users, with many dismissing the news as fake or exaggerated, while others appear to believe it is authentic and mock the alleged development.
The memes about the claim have spread on X, Facebook, and Instagram, garnering hundreds of thousands of views.
Fact Check: National Guard is indeed being deployed to protect the pool
The claim is indeed true, as the Trump administration has reached a stage where soldiers stand watch over a pond full of algae. According to several videos and photos circulating online, National Guard members in uniform are seen posted along the edge of the iconic pool while tourists wander past, drawing mockery from netizens.
Reddit CEO Steven Huffman, who shared the video, joked that the Guard and local police "have been dispatched to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to guard the algae" before concluding, "As you can see at the end of this clip, the algae is safe. Well done.”
Donald Trump orders Reflecting Pool repairs after vandalism claims
Months after the Trump administration spent around $14 million of taxpayers' money on renovation work, the pool is set to undergo another round of repair work.
The development comes after photos revealing algae and peeling paint surfaced, inviting huge backlash, which, according to Trump, was a result of damage caused by vandalism, and he alleged that a chemical was poured by vandals to destroy the historical site.
Trump's announcement of draining the pool for fresh restoration work came soon after he pledged jail time for those charged with vandalizing the newly refurbished Reflecting Pool.
“We met with contractors today, will probably be forced to release and drain much of the water to do the necessary repairs, but will have them done as quickly as possible,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Saturday night.
