President Donald Trump blamed vandals for destroying a stretch of grass on the National Mall between the World War II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, days after vandals allegedly filled the World War II Memorial fountain with soap, causing it to bubble.
“Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalized World War II Monument and the vandalized Reflecting Pool, which will be opened again, and better than ever, shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!”
The area Trump appeared to be referring to was also the site of the stage for the Salute to America festival, part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration on the Fourth of July. The event featured military flyovers, musical performances, fireworks, and a keynote address from Trump.
In the weeks surrounding the festival, the grass in the area underwent significant construction and sustained heavy use as crews installed and later dismantled the event stage.
EarthCam footage from a live camera overlooking the Washington Monument appears to show that by July 11, the grass had been nearly entirely torn up following the removal of the stage. The footage raises questions about whether the damage Trump attributed to vandals was, at least in part, related to preparations for and cleanup after the July 4 celebration.
The White House and Department of the Interior did not respond to a request for comment.
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The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are seen from the Washington Monument, the day after the Salute to America Independence Day celebration honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary on the National Mall in Washington, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo) -
The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are seen from the Washington Monument, the day after the Salute to America Independence Day celebration honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary on the National Mall in Washington, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo) -
The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are seen from the Washington Monument, the day after the Salute to America Independence Day celebration honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary on the National Mall in Washington, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo) -
The Washington Monument stands parallel with the metal posts which held the roof of the main stage for the Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Washington. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)
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Trump’s comments come amid heightened attention from his administration surrounding alleged vandalism in the district.
Last week, the department said vandals were responsible for bubbles that filled the fountain at the National World War II Memorial. Photos showed large mounds of bubbles in the fountain, along with graffiti on the monument reading, “Clean hands dirty $.”