Source: Fortune
Summary
President Trump announced that federal authorities had made “multiple arrests” of people vandalizing the Reflecting Pool, which had turned green after a $14-million-plus rehabilitation project. Trump claimed that the pool’s new blue lining was being deliberately damaged, but offered no evidence. One man, David Hearn, was arrested for touching the peeling coating, but said he was just curious. Trump’s claims came after days of negative attention to the state of the pool.
Our Reading
The announcement sounds familiar.
Trump’s claims of vandalism at the Reflecting Pool follow a familiar pattern of blaming others for problems with his projects. The $14-million-plus rehabilitation project was meant to restore the pool’s beauty, but it has been plagued by issues. Trump’s accusations of deliberate damage to the pool’s new lining are unsubstantiated. The arrest of David Hearn, a curious citizen who touched the peeling coating, raises questions about the severity of the situation. The Reflecting Pool’s problems have become a symbol of Trump’s struggles to deliver on his promises.
The numbers tell one story, but the Reflecting Pool’s algae-stained waters tell another.
Author: Evan Null
