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Trump Still Blames Reflecting Pool Destruction on ‘VANDALS!’ Despite DOJ Saying Otherwise · GNN Daily Breaking News

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: President Donald Trump has doubled down on his claim that
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  Speaker 1: the destruction of Washington's iconic reflecting pool was the work
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  Speaker 1: of vandals, despite the Department of Justice releasing findings that
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  Speaker 1: contradict his narrative. The clash highlights both the symbolic weight
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: of the landmark and the political tensions surrounding its damage.
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  Speaker 1: The reflecting pool, located between the Lincoln Memorial and the
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  Speaker 1: Washington Monument, was severely damaged earlier this year. Trump has
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  Speaker 1: repeatedly insisted that vandals were responsible, using the incident to
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: argue for tougher law and order policies at rallies and
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  Speaker 1: on social media. He has framed the destruction as emblematic
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  Speaker 1: of what he calls chaos in America's cities, but the
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  Speaker 1: DOJ's investigation paints a different picture. Officials concluded that the
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  Speaker 1: damage was caused by structural failure linked to aging infrastructure
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  Speaker 1: and maintenance lapses, not deliberate vandalism. Engineers found that water
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  Speaker 1: leakage and erosion had weakened the pool's foundation, leading to
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  Speaker 1: its collapse. Despite these findings, Trump has continued to blame vandals,
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  Speaker 1: dismissing the DOJ's report as politically motivated. His insistence has
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  Speaker 1: fueled partisan debate, with supporters echoing his claims and critics
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: accusing him of spreading misinformation. Analysts note that the dispute
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: reflects a broader pattern in Trump's rhetoric, framing events in
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  Speaker 1: ways that reinforce his political agenda, even when official accounts differ.
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  Speaker 1: For Washington residents and visitors, the reflecting Pool's destruction is
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  Speaker 1: more than a political talking point. The site is a
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  Speaker 1: symbol of national memory, hosting historic marches and gatherings, including
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: Martin Luther King Junior s I Have a Dream speech.
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  Speaker 1: Its collapse has sparked calls for urgent restoration, with preservationists
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  Speaker 1: warning that neglect of such landmarks undermines America's cultural heritage. Ultimately,
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  Speaker 1: Trump's continued insistence on vandalism, despite DOJ evidence to the contrary,
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  Speaker 1: underscores the collision between political narrative and factual accountability. As
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  Speaker 1: restoration plans move forward, the debate over what caused the
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  Speaker 1: damage and how leaders respond to it remains a telling
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  Speaker 1: snapshot of America's polarized discourse.