WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday blamed vandals for large areas of dead and damaged grass near the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, where a stage and seating areas were installed for his July 4 celebration.
Trump made the claim in a post on Truth Social but did not provide evidence that vandals caused the damage. He shared a photo showing patchy, brown grass in the area connecting the World War II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
“Look what VANDALS did to the grass,” Trump wrote.
The damaged lawn is the same area that hosted a large stage and crowds during Trump’s Independence Day event marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Photos taken during the celebration show a bandstand and seating areas covering much of the lawn. Images taken after the event showed workers removing the structures and brown grass underneath.
Trump has repeatedly attributed damage to Washington landmarks to vandalism, sometimes despite findings from government officials.
Earlier this month, Trump criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after her office determined that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool resulted from construction problems rather than vandalism.
Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of Melissa L. Farris in connection with vandalism at the World War II Memorial. Investigators said someone painted the words “Clean hands dirty $” on the monument and filled a fountain with bubbles.
Charging documents in Farris’ case do not identify the damaged grassy area as part of the alleged vandalism. Authorities said Farris had previously been arrested for camping on federal property near the memorial.
Trump also previously cited markings in the grass that read “86 47” as evidence of vandalism. Federal officials have described the markings as a threat against the president.
