Five people have been arrested in connection with vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the Department of the Interior said Monday.
The arrests come after President Donald Trump blasted the damage on Truth Social and vowed that destruction of federal property would be prosecuted.
“Five individuals have been arrested for vandalism. Five additional individuals were issued federal citations,” a department spokesperson told The Hill.
The spokesperson said 14 police reports have been filed for vandalism, including allegations described in Trump’s recent posts.
“Of the MANY Statues and Fountains that we rebuilt, renovated, cleaned, and fixed, the only one that was Vandalized was the Reflecting Pool, which is being taken care of, ASAP,” Trump wrote in a Monday post.
Trump said the damage included a massive gash, chemicals placed in the water and destruction of the surrounding grass.
“It has been given a 300 foot long gash, chemicals have been illegally placed in the water, and the beautiful new grass field has been destroyed with a gigantic 86 47 chemically carved into it (Probably inspired by Dirty Cop, James Comey!),” he added, referring to an image posted on social media by the former FBI director last year which led to the Justice Department prosecuting Comey for threatening the president.
Trump also noted that destroying federal property can carry a 10-year prison sentence and said the law would be “fully enforced.”
Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said Sunday that anyone caught vandalizing the site would face prosecution.
“If there are more serious products that are put into the Reflecting Pool to create more algae or a bigger problem, then we’ll consider more serious charges,” Pirro told host Peter Doocy during an appearance on Fox News’s “The Sunday Briefing.”
Despite being CONSTANTLY harassed, heckled, and abused by rabid leftists, National Park Service staff continue working around the clock cleaning the reflecting pool
Not to mention they’re dealing with SABOTAGE by leftist goons
God bless these folks 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/D2016TysYk
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 22, 2026
She made clear that federal officials are treating the damage seriously as the administration pushes to clean up the nation’s capital.
“But make no mistake, making D.C. beautiful is a priority. And if you damage, vandalize or do anything to impact something like the Reflecting Pool, you can be prosecuted,” she added.
The U.S. Park Police is investigating the vandalism reports, according to an administration official.
The arrests mark another sign that the Trump administration is taking a harder line against vandalism at national landmarks after years of public monuments, statues and federal sites becoming targets for activists and agitators.
Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>
