Trump blames vandals for damaged grass in the same spot where he held
his big July 4 celebration
[August 17, 2026]
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday said vandals are to
blame for large swaths of dead grass on the National Mall near the World
War II Memorial — in the same spot where Trump had a stage built and
hosted crowds for his July 4 celebration.
Trump made the accusation in a social media post without saying why he
believes it's the work of vandals instead of trampled turf from the
Independence Day festivities. He posted a photo showing a once-grassy
area by the World War II Memorial, now patchy and brown across much of
the sprawling turf.
“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 said on his Truth Social
platform.
“Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back
to Law School!” he added.
Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to his renovation
projects in the nation's capital, often without evidence and sometimes
despite opposing accounts from his officials. Trump lashed out at U.S.
Attorney Jeanine Pirro this month after her office concluded that damage
to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was the result of poor
construction and not the work of vandals, as Trump claimed.
Authorities on Friday announced an arrest 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. Pirro said
felony charges are being brought against Melissa L. Farris.
Charging documents in that case make no mention of the grassy area Trump
is highlighting in his new claims. Authorities said Farris had
previously been arrested for camping on federal property a few blocks
from the World War II Memorial, but not the area cited by Trump.
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Workers dismantle structures from Salute to America, an Independence
Day event honoring the nation's 250th anniversary, as seen from the
Washington Monument, on July 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark
Schiefelbein, File)
That stretch of lawn is instead where a large stage was built and
crowds gathered to hear from Trump and watch fireworks at a July 4
event celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary. Trump claimed
without providing evidence that more than 400,000 people attended
the event before a storm hit the area and delayed his remarks.
Photos from the time, taken by a streaming webcam atop the
Washington Monument, show a large bandstand and seating areas
covering nearly the entire lawn Trump now says has been vandalized.
Associated Press photos from the days that followed showed workers
removing the structures, revealing brown, damaged grass underneath.
On Aug. 1, Trump posted a different photo of the same area that
appears to show the numbers “86 47” — which federal officials have
said constitutes a threat against Trump — emblazoned into the grass.
He cited it as evidence refuting Pirro's conclusion, calling it “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.
Those numbers are not visible in the photo Trump posted to social
media on Sunday.
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