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Trump has claimed Reflecting Pool ‘vandals’ could face ‘years in jail.’ By contrast, he’s urged the public to move on from the Epstein files
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More people have now been arrested in connection to theReflecting Poolthan over theEpstein files, a lawmaker has said.
In recent days, six people have been detained for allegedly vandalizing the Reflecting Pool after the basin wasovertaken by algaeandits paint began peeling. President Donald Trump has taken a notably aggressive line, denouncing alleged perpetrators as “sick and deranged” and claiming they could face “years in jail.”
By contrast, months after the Justice Department released millions of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — many of them namingprominent figures—no new arrests have been made in the U.S.Trump’s tone on that matter has been far more detached. “I think it’s really time for the country to get on to something else,” he told reporters in February.
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Virginia Democrat, highlighted the discrepancy in law enforcement tactics during an interview withThe Hillon Wednesday.
He accused the Trump administration of targeting harmless visitors at the Reflecting Pool while failing to pursue accountability for potential criminals linked to Epstein. “That’s how this administration operates these days,” he said.
When reached byThe Independent, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers attacked Democrats over the Reflecting Pool, but made no mention of Epstein.
“It is shameful that elected Democrats would defend the deranged vandalism that has taken place at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool,” Rogers said. “The President’s efforts to beautify our nation’s capital are supported by Americans across the country and should be praised by both Republicans and Democrats. President Trump generously spearheaded the restoration of the Reflecting Pool, and it is now reflecting beautifully despite the vandals’ attempt to destroy it.”
The arrests followed the Trump administration’s completion earlier this month ofa multimillion-dollar renovationof the Reflecting Pool, located in front of the Lincoln Memorial. After several no-bid contracts were awarded, crews drained the pool and applied an “American flag blue” sealant.
Just days after the basin was refilled, visitors noticed the water had turned a distinct shade of green, with clumps of algae floating on the surface. Soon after, chunks of blue paint began to peel away from the bottom.
Trump has repeatedly attributed the pool’s deterioration to sabotage, claiming that someone armed with a knife slashed a long gash in the bottom. However, according to documents obtained byThe New York Times,workers were aware of problems at the pooleven as the administration publicly described the renovation as a success.
