President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been drained to allow repair work, saying the iconic Washington, D.C., landmark will be refilled and reopened to the public in the near future.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the pool's lining had been severely damaged by vandals, alleging that long cuts were made in the basin and that the water had to be removed so crews could repair the waterproof lining. He also argued that those responsible should face significant penalties for the damage.

The Reflecting Pool renovation project, valued at more than $14 million, has faced several challenges since work began earlier this year. Visitors have reported algae blooms, green-colored water, peeling paint, and other maintenance concerns despite the recent upgrades.

Trump has repeatedly revised his description of the alleged vandalism, increasing the reported length of the damage in successive statements. However, journalists visiting the site after the water was drained said they could not verify the extent of the claimed damage because fencing around the landmark restricted access. Federal agencies, including the National Park Service and the U.S. Park Police, have not publicly confirmed Trump's latest claims.

Authorities have already charged several individuals with property destruction after they allegedly removed sections of blue coating from the Reflecting Pool. All of the defendants have pleaded not guilty, and the investigations remain ongoing.

The repair work is expected to restore the basin before it is reopened to visitors, although officials have not announced a specific completion date.