A top official at the National Park Service says a liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project. The park service reported the June 9 incident to U.S. Park Police. Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service, said about 70 fence post tops also were thrown into the pool. Lands made the statements in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization to halt the administration's work on the project.

National Guard members and U.S. Park Police are patrolling the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The Trump administration faces a self-imposed July 4 deadline to fix issues from a renovation ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary. The patrols follow Trump's claim of "multiple arrests" for damage to the pool's liner. He confirmed the pool might need draining again for repairs. The timeline for repairs remains unclear. Contractors have been using chemicals to combat algae, which has plagued the pool for years. Trump blamed the issues on "SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!" but hasn't substantiated those claims. The Park Police haven't confirmed the number of arrests.