Six arrested for reflecting pool vandalism; White House ties suspects to Democratic Party

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted that the vandalism at the Reflecting Pool was real, citing 17 police reports filed within days and six arrests. "These deranged—many of them long-time donors to the Democrat Party, to Barack Obama, to ActBlue—have been vandalizing and desecrating our federal monument," she told Fox News' Sean Hannity, adding that President Trump would hold the individuals accountable and restore the pool.

Leavitt namechecked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who had called the vandalism an imaginary problem, and disputed his characterization. "Only the Democrats could hate beautifying our nation's capital," she said. The 28-year-old touted Trump's efforts, noting the administration had restored more than 120 monuments across the city. "...this is the type of work that I want to see our tax dollars going towards, making our nation's capital and our nation's cities safe and beautiful again," she averred.

President Donald Trump corroborated her account on Tuesday, stating that seven people had been cited in addition to the six arrested for damage to the pool. "The 350-foot gash, made by a very sharp knife or razors, is actually numerous slashes over a very long 350-foot length. It was purposefully and criminally done, and somebody had to work very hard, probably in the dark of night, to create such a condition," he wrote on Truth Social, adding that the pool's water is likely to be drained before or after July 4.

Multiple media reports disputed Trump's account, with CBS News' Ed O'Keefe noting that his network could not find any evidence of a gash in the pool. Trump had been particularly sensitive to the negative coverage surrounding the refurbished pool, threatening ABC News with a lawsuit over what he called false reporting. 

Leavitt, who recently gave birth to a baby girl, also dismissed protesters she described as "deranged leftists in algae costumes" as "completely ridiculous." This is after Trump had already posted that the pro-algae protesters had likely been paid to demonstrate at the pool. In a separate post, he claimed that the vandals were inspired by former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey. He concluded with a warning: anyone caught vandalizing would face a 10-year prison sentence.

The controversial restoration began in April and was completed last week ahead of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. However, the opening hit early snags: sweltering heat triggered an algae bloom that turned the water green rather than the intended blue, with workers seen pouring chemicals into the pool to contain it. The issues were compounded when sections of the coating that gave the pool its "American flag blue" color began to peel within days.