Fact Check: Is Trump right that vandals damaged the Reflecting Pool?

WASHINGTON, DC: As controversy over the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continues to grow, President Donald Trump has blamed vandals for the pool's peeling blue lining and persistent algae problem. However, the administration has not released evidence to support those claims. So, is Trump's claim backed by the facts?

Claim: Trump has claimed vandals are to blame for peeling paint and algae buildup at Reflecting Pool

President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damaging the pool's new blue lining and causing the algae buildup.

Trump made the claims several times after reports emerged that sections of the blue lining had begun peeling from the bottom of the pool. During a June 22 press event, he alleged that vandals had deliberately damaged the lining.

"You know, we have 100- … I think 290-, 300-foot slit right through it," the 80-year-old said. "Probably a box cutter or a knife of some kind."

At the same event, Trump also suggested that someone may have intentionally caused the algae bloom by adding fertilizer or another substance to the water. "They did something to create the algae," he said.

While discussing the addition of the blue protective coating during a May 4 White House event, Trump had remarked, "It's very strong. You couldn't — if you had a knife — I don't want to give anybody ideas. If you had a knife, you can't even cut it, so strong, so powerful."

On June 24, Trump shared a photo of the drained pool on social media and wrote, "This is the hard rubber surface — No Paint — Before the Vandals cut and pulled it apart!" The following day, he claimed vandals had ripped up the material from the bottom of the pool and cut the lining along the side at the water level.

The White House also backed Trump's claims in a June 25 press release, saying surveillance footage showed someone vandalizing the pool.

The video, which the Department of the Interior had previously shared with Fox News, was recorded on June 19 after reports of the damage had already surfaced. It appears to show a person reaching into the water and pulling something out. However, the footage does not clearly show the person damaging the pool, and it remains unclear whether any act of vandalism occurred.

Fact Check: Trump's claims aren't supported by experts

Trump's claims that vandals caused the damage are not supported by experts. Instead, pool and waterproofing specialists say there are several possible reasons why the coating could peel.

Steve Goodale, a swimming pool consultant, told Wired that applying a waterproof pool lining is a complex process. He said, "You have to account for ambient conditions like rain, sun, humidity, moisture control in your substrate, thickness, evenness, and chemical compatibility." If the coating does not properly stick to the surface, it can eventually fail.  

Goodale also told The Washington Post that poor surface preparation or water seeping into or beneath the lining could have caused the peeling. He added that hydrogen peroxide, which the Interior Department began using to treat algae in mid-June, may have affected the coating. However, he said it would more likely cause fading or material breakdown than peeling.

David McFayden, CEO of KTA-Tator, told Scientific American that there is not enough information to blame a single cause. He said investigators should examine how the surface was prepared before the coating was applied and whether the water chemistry played a role.

Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the contractor that carried out the renovation, acknowledged on June 21 that some areas of the Reflecting Pool needed repairs. However, the company said the work would be completed under warranty and that the damage did not mean the liner had failed. 

Rhino Linings, which manufactured the liner, issued a similar statement the next day. The company said the problem involved only small areas where the blue finish coat had separated and did not affect the waterproof membrane underneath.

Rhino vice president Francois Rivard said it is still unclear whether the peeling was caused by human interference or the water's chemical composition, and that further testing is needed.