Reflecting Pool liner cut with sharp knife or blade, National Park Service says

WASHINGTON - A section of the liner at the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor earlier this month, damaging foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project, a top National Park Service official says.

What we know:

Frank Lands, the agency’s deputy director of operations, said the June 9 incident was reported to U.S. Park Police. He detailed the damage in a court filing late Wednesday in a lawsuit brought by a nonprofit group seeking to halt the Trump administration’s work on the project.

According to the police report, the damage included cuts to caulk over the foam sealant and destruction of delaminating surface material. Lands said about 70 fence post tops also were thrown into the pool.

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The filing marks the first time the administration has offered specifics about when and how the Reflecting Pool may have been damaged after major work on the project was completed.

President Donald Trump and other officials have repeatedly blamed unidentified vandals for peeling paint, a "350‑foot gash" in the liner and other issues. Trump said this week that six people have been arrested, though he did not provide details.

Trump has pledged to beautify the century‑old pool ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations, draining it and directing that the bottom be painted a shade he called "American flag blue." Since the restoration, however, the water has been hit by an algae bloom and pieces of the new coating have appeared to peel.

The administration faces a self‑imposed July Fourth deadline to finish the renovation. Trump said Wednesday that "sick people" used razors and box cutters to slice the lining.

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U.S. Park Police on Wednesday released surveillance video and asked for help identifying a person seen kneeling at the pool and removing something from the water. Police said the 30‑second clip was recorded Friday afternoon.

In his court statement, Lands said the agency plans to begin draining the Reflecting Pool after Independence Day to assess and repair any damage to the lining.

The park service completed more than two months of renovations in early June. The 2,000‑foot‑long basin was drained, fitted with a tinted, plastic‑like rubber lining to waterproof and protect the concrete surface, and then refilled, Lands said.

The Cultural Landscape Foundation, which sued in May to stop the project, asked a federal judge this week to block further work. The group said it is "not too late to correct course" and urged the administration to consult experts and the public before proceeding with additional changes.