Reflecting on the pool

[spot]

Uncle Sam? ... Yes, hello, this is Bob. Bob Newhart. I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time.
... No, I know, I heard about the Hormuz thing. I'm actually calling about a different stretch of water.
... Remember the reflecting pool? The one between the Monument and the- ... Right, that one.
... Well, here's the thing. I've been, I've checked and it's, uh... it's green.
... I remember you saying it was blue. I'm saying it is green. Yes I know they're different... my eyes are fine, Sam.
... Fourteen million. Mm.
... No, I'm sure it was very beautiful briefly. I'm just- how long was it blue, roughly?
... Days? A few days? I see. And who did the work? A friend? A good friend?
... Did this friend have any background in- pools, or- Mm-hmm. Nanobubbles?
... Tell me about the nanobubbles. No, I understand they're very small. I'm asking whether they-
... The Iranian Navy?
... I'm sorry, you're comparing the algae to- ...
... Ah. They both sank. I see. That's a- that's certainly a frame.

Now. The vandalism.
... Well yes, those algae came from somewhere. Into an outdoor pool. In Washington DC. In June.
... And scratched the paint.
... They scratched the brand new paint and seeded the pool with- the neighbors did this.
... It's being investigated.
... The algae is being investigated by law enforcement. All right.
How much of it's gone?
... Seventy-five percent.
... So a quarter of the- ... Soon. It'll be remedied by Independence Day?
Uncle Sam, I have to ask - and you can tell me this is none of my business - but the contractor. Your friend. Was there a competitive process, or did he just- ...
... He was very motivated. Right. And the markup was- ...
... Well no, if it's sabotage then obviously you can't hold the- ...
... No, I can see that. I can see why you wouldn't.
I hope it's blue by the Fourth. I genuinely do.
... I know you do.
... You take care now.

[spot]

So, what do we know that's true about vandalism.

It's true that a convoy of Presidential limos, after the pool was painted but before the water went back in, drove the length of the pool on the newly laid paint and liner. Hard to believe but it happened: Snopes: True - Trump's motorcade passed through the empty pool on May 7, 2026, after it was painted and sealed and before it was refilled with water as part of a renovation project.

And the peeling mechanism is referenced: Snopes: Is reflecting pool's blue paint peeling off? The paint began peeling off the bottom of the reflecting pool just days after renovations. Hydrogen peroxide used to treat algae may be the culprit.

And the ducks dying because of the peroxide, following the earlier reports of ducklings found dead in the water?

Round up the vandals. There's a stack of news on Google's search:

The Guardian
Trump under pressure to back up claim of sabotage at reflecting pool
President's promise of photo and video evidence of vandalism at Washington landmark yet to be fulfilled.
.
2 hours ago
BBC
Watch: Why the Washington DC Reflecting Pool became a global talking point
President Trump says the pool is probably going to be drained again, two weeks after a multi-million dollar renovation was completed.
.
1 day ago
The Washington Post
Why Trump’s algae problem is much bigger than the Reflecting Pool
In his battle to clear algae from the water by the Lincoln Memorial, the president has overlooked the real causes of unsightly — and often...
.
1 hour ago
Politico
Dead ducks add to Trump’s reflecting pool drama
A local wildlife organization is performing necropsies on ducks found dead near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
.
1 day ago
The New York Times
Visitors Look at the Reflecting Pool and Disagree on What They See
People have long gathered in solidarity by the Reflecting Pool, but amid the turmoil of President Trump's attempted repairs there is little...
.
2 hours ago
The Conversation
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is treated with ‘nanobubbles’. What are they and how do they work?
As the United States approaches 250th birthday celebrations on July 4, Washington DC's monuments, statues and fountains are being prepared...
.
21 hours ago
MS NOW
On Reflecting Pool debacle, Trump gives away the game by hedging on details, evidence
Every aspect of Donald Trump's Reflecting Pool renovation project has become embarrassing. On cue, the president has responded to the...
.
6 hours ago
PBS
Was the Reflecting Pool vandalized? Experts cast doubt on Trump's claims
Green water, floating liner chunks, and workers dumping jugs of hydrogen peroxide. These are the images that have characterized the Lincoln...
.
24 hours ago
The Hill
House Republican: Let Reflecting Pool ‘go’ and ‘create an ecosystem’
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday had an outside-the-box idea to address algae growth in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
.
8 hours ago
NBC News
A deep dive into Trump’s struggle to fix the Reflecting Pool
The Reflecting Pool is 2030 feet long, 30 inches deep at its deepest, and President Donald Trump has been mired in it since he embarked on...
.
22 hours ago