The Department of Justice says investigators have found no evidence that vandals sabotaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, reversing public accusations of sabotage.Pool specialists, including Rudy Stankowitz and an anonymous surfacing consultant, told reporters that coating and installation failures, together with heat and chemical treatments, likely produced the algae bloom and peeling paint.Six people were arrested on vandalism charges near the pool, including former Olympian David Hearn, but National Park Service officials and the Department of Justice have not corroborated President Donald Trump’s claim of sabotage.The $16M project was largely awarded through no-bid deals to Atlantic Industrial Coatings and
Green Water Solutions, prompting demands for improved filtration, continuous monitoring, and congressional oversight of federal procurement.