Trump Interior Touts Nanobubbler Breakthrough at Lincoln Reflecting Pool; Vandalism Probe Widens

The Interior Department declared a maintenance breakthrough at the 6.75-million-gallon Lincoln Reflecting Pool on Sunday, crediting "advanced nanobubbler technology" with eliminating an algae problem that has plagued every reopening of the Washington landmark since 1922. President Donald Trump amplified the announcement on Truth Social, sharing photographs of the pool running clear under blue skies while simultaneously posting a "Wanted" notice calling for the public's help identifying a vandalism suspect under active investigation by U.S. Park Police.

Technology Credited With Ending Decades-Long Algae Cycle

Greg Wischer, founder of Dei Gratia Minerals and Interior's deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management, detailed the intervention in a letter shared with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Trump. Wischer wrote that the nanobubbler system "very effectively killed the algae" and that National Park Service crews are now vacuuming dead algae from the pool floor as a final maintenance step before the work is complete.

Wischer's letter noted that the pool's bottom features an "American Flag Blue" coating now visible through the cleared water, and that the vacuuming process was already finished in the section nearest the Lincoln Memorial. Interior framed the outcome as a rebuke of past federal stewardship, stating that previous administrations — naming the Obama administration specifically — allowed the pool to turn murky with heavy algae blooms after each refilling.

Vandalism Damage Frames Cost and Timeline Uncertainty

The cleanup victory comes alongside a separate repair challenge. Burgum told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that vandals inflicted multiple gashes on the pool totaling 350 feet in length. He said officials are now assessing whether a full drain will be necessary, noting the cuts run along the sloped edge and a partial drain may be sufficient. "We may be able to partially drain it and do the repair," Burgum said, adding the work could move quickly once the assessment is complete.

Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn has been indicted in connection with alleged Reflecting Pool vandalism, according to the source. Separately, U.S. Park Police are seeking public assistance identifying an additional suspect in a destruction-of-government-property investigation — the individual Trump highlighted in the "Wanted" posting on Truth Social.

Burgum Frames Damage as Isolated, Broader Celebration Intact

Interior Secretary Burgum pushed back on coverage focused on repair costs, attributing the added expense directly to the vandalism rather than to the original restoration project. Speaking on ABC, he said 340 million Americans are participating in the America 250 celebrations and characterized the vandals as a small group. "We weren't expecting that we were going to have a small group of people that wanted to try to destroy effectively what is part of the Lincoln Memorial," Burgum said.

He added that the Reflecting Pool had gone decades without vandalism before this episode, pointing to a camera coverage gap around the pool itself despite extensive surveillance near the Lincoln statue and memorial structure. The Interior Department said the pool is now clear enough that media crews who had been stationed at the site for weeks have departed.

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