President Donald Trump is blaming vandals for large spots of dead grass on the National Mall near the World War II Memorial, the same area where the president hosted crowds for a 4th of July celebration.
Trump made the claim without providing evidence or explaining why he believes vandals damaged the grass. He shared a photo showing an area by the World War II Memorial with patches of brown and dead grass across much of the sprawling turf that was previously full of green grass.
“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 on Truth Social.
“Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!” he continued.
Trump had a large stage built and invited crowds to the same lawn for his Independence Day celebration last month. He is now blaming vandals for the grass damage. Crowds gathered to hear from the president and watch fireworks to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Members of the US Army Golden Knights participate in a test jump over the National Mall on June 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. Getty Images
The drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and a patch of grass where “8647” was etched into the National Mall are seen from the Washington Monument, in Washington, DC, on Aug. 4, 2026. REUTERS
Photos from the celebration show a large bandstand and seating areas covering nearly the entire lawn Trump now says was damaged by vandals. Photos from subsequent days showed workers removing the structures, revealing brown and damaged grass underneath. The photographs show that event infrastructure occupied much of the affected lawn, but do not by themselves establish what caused all of the grass damage.
Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to his renovation projects in Washington, D.C., often without evidence and contradicting accounts from his officials.
Earlier this month, Trump criticized US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro after her office moved to dismiss the vandalism case after newly disclosed evidence showed widespread liner damage stemming from a flawed installation and the rush to complete the project ahead of Independence Day events, undermining the case against the defendant.
The remnants of the number “47” are visible on the grass near the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall on July 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. Getty Images
President Trump arrives to deliver remarks at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence on Aug. 14, 2026 in Garden City, New York. Getty Images
On Friday, an arrest was made in connection with vandalism at the World War II Memorial after the words “Clean hands dirty $” were found painted on the monument and bubbles filled a fountain.
Felony charges in that case are being brought against Melissa Farris, according to Pirro.
Charging documents in that case do not mention the once-grassy area Trump referred to in his new social media post.
People gather on the National Mall to protest policies of the Trump administration, as well as Elon Musk’s influence, in one of over a thousand rallies scheduled nationwide under the slogan “Hands Off!” on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Washington, DC. Pete Kiehart for The New York Post
Authorities said Farris was previously arrested for camping on federal property a few blocks from the World War II Memorial, but not the spot referenced by Trump.
On Aug. 1, Trump posted a different photo of the same area of dead that appears to show the numbers “86 47,” which federal officials argue is a threat against Trump. The numbers are not visible in the photo Trump shared on Sunday.
Trump cited that image as evidence against Pirro’s conclusion, describing it as “a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass.”
“There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!” he wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
