Trump threatens prison for vandalism of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

President Donald Trump threatened a '10 year prison sentence' for anyone caught vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., after a recently completed $14.7 million renovation began showing paint peeling and algae growth within weeks. Trump blamed unspecified 'sick, deranged' people and claimed a 300-foot slit was cut into the pool's floor, though he provided no evidence. At least five people have been arrested in connection with the alleged vandalism, including a former U.S. Olympian who denies the charges. The renovation, awarded to Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings via a no-bid contract, was intended to coat the pool 'American flag blue' ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary. However, the paint began peeling and the water turned green due to algae. Officials said the pool would be drained and re-renovated under warranty. Trump also threatened to sue ABC News over its coverage of the pool's problems, accusing the network of failing to report that previous administrations had spent heavily on the pool without success. Media coverage of the incident focuses on Trump's pattern of blaming external actors for failures in his administration's projects and his confrontational stance toward the press. The Independent notes that Trump's claims about spending under Obama and Biden are inaccurate, as the Biden administration did not do major work on the pool and the Obama administration spent about $35 million, not $100 million as Trump alleged.