President Donald Trump said Saturday that U.S. Park Police arrested multiple individuals in connection with alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
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Trump announced the arrests in a social media post but did not provide details about the individuals involved or the specific acts that allegedly led to their arrests.
“These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail,” Trump wrote.
The Interior Department’s refurbishment of the Reflecting Pool cost more than $14.65 million.
Trump pledged that repairs would begin immediately and said administration officials met with contractors to address the damage.
“We met with contractors today, will probably be forced to release and drain much of the water in order to do the necessary repairs, but will have them done as quickly as possible,” Trump said.
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The president also repeated allegations that the damage was caused by deliberate acts of vandalism. Trump claimed that “corrosive and destructive chemicals” had been poured into the pool and that someone used a blade to create a lengthy gash in the structure.
“What these terrible Vandals have done is a true affront to both Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and should be dealt with accordingly,” Trump said.
The U.S. Park Police did not immediately respond to requests for information regarding the arrests referenced by the president.
Hours before announcing the arrests, Trump shared a news report regarding the arrest of a man near the Reflecting Pool on Friday.
According to The Washington Post, the individual was identified as 67-year-old David Hearn, a three-time U.S. Olympic canoeist.
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Hearn denied causing damage to the pool.
