The National Park Service said a liner at the bottom of the Washington DC Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor on June 9, causing damage to the foam sealant installed during a recent rehabilitation project. The 2,030‑foot basin between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument had been drained and a tinted polyurea liner installed as part of a multi‑million‑dollar renovation that began in April and concluded in June, ahead of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service, said in a court filing that US Park Police responded to a report of the incident on June 9 and that the police report documented a cut in the caulk over the foam sealant and destruction of delaminating surface material, as well as the throwing of about 70 fence post tops into the pool. The filing, part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit seeking to halt the Trump administration’s work at the site, did not identify a perpetrator or specify the exact time of the damage. Five individuals have been arrested for vandalism related to the pool, and five others received federal citations, according to US Park Police. The NPS plans to drain the pool again after Independence Day celebrations on July 4 to assess and repair the liner. The incident highlights ongoing maintenance challenges at the historic pool, which has long suffered from leaks, structural deterioration, algae growth and bird droppings.