President Donald Trump pointed fingers at vandals on Sunday over dead grass on the National Mall. The damaged turf sits in the same location where crews built a stage, and thousands gathered for his July 4 celebration. The president has not yet provided a reason behind this accusation.
Donald Trump offered no evidence that vandalism caused the National Mall grass damage
Donald Trump gave no evidence that vandalism caused the National Mall grass damage. His Truth Social post included a photo showing a formerly green lawn near the World War II Memorial, now mostly brown and patchy. “Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalized World War II Monument and the vandalized Reflecting Pool, which will be opened again, and better than ever, shortly,” Trump wrote. He added, “Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!”
The president has repeatedly linked damage at his Washington renovation projects to vandals. The accusations have often been without proof and sometimes against the findings of his own officials. Earlier this month, Trump attacked U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after her office determined that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool stemmed from poor construction, not vandalism.
The lawn Trump now points to is where workers erected a large stage and seating for his Independence Day event marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. Trump claimed without evidence that more than 400,000 people attended before a storm delayed his remarks.
Photos taken by a webcam atop the Washington Monument show a large bandstand and seating areas covering nearly the entire lawn. Associated Press photos from the following days captured workers removing those structures and revealing brown, trampled grass underneath.
Furthermore, this is an addition to alleged previous lawn damages. On August 1, Trump posted another photo of the same area. It appeared to show the numbers “86 47” cut into the grass. Federal officials have said those numbers represent a threat against Trump.
