NICK SCHIFRIN: In the day's other headlines:# The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool here in## Washington is set to undergo more repairs just# days ahead of America's 250th anniversary.

That's according to President Trump, who has# repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that## vandals caused the algae blooms and peeling paint# that have plagued the pool since its renovation.

Here's Stephanie Sy.

STEPHANIE SY: Green murky water# .. This is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool# just weeks after a renovation project that## has cost taxpayers millions of dollars# and stirred up political controversy.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the# United States: We had vandalism.

STEPHANIE SY: In the Oval Office today,# President Tr.. are to blame for the damage and# said there's photo evidence.

DONALD TRUMP: We have a,## I think, 290-, 300-foot slit right through it,# probably a box cutter or a knife of s.. STEPHANIE SY: Authorities say they have arrested## at least five people and handed# out citations to several others,## among those arrested, former U.S.

Olympian David# Hearn, who is facing a destruction of government## property charge.

He says he was just touching# lining that was already floating in the water.

SARA BRONIN, George Washington University: I don't# think it's something that will stand up in court.

STEPHANIE SY: Sara Bronin# is a law professor at George## Washington University who specializes in# historic preservation and property law.

SARA BRONIN: The kinds of activities that# the passersby are accused of doing, again,## dipping their hands into the water, merely# touching some of the material that has fallen## off of the bottom of the pool, are really# not the kinds of activities that, at least## based on my review of case law and understanding# of the statute, have ever really been prosecuted.

DONALD TRUMP: It was in terrible# shape.

It was filthy dirty.

STEPHANIE SY: The president unveiled plans# to clean up and coat the pool's surface in## what he called American flag blue earlier this# year, estimating it would cost up to $2 million.## Once water started flowing back in,# records revealed nearly $15 million## were rewarded for the project to companies with# only limited experience with federal contracts.

Aerial images of the pool showed a transformation# from deep blue to murky green in the days## that followed and lining peeling from the# floor.

The pool quickly became a spectacle,## drawing a handful of self-styled pro-algae# demonstrators and many more frustrated taxpayers.

ROBERT DALE, Visitor From Colorado: I# want my money back after seeing this.## I think that this is -- it was a huge# waste of money to begin with.

And## I think our resources could be# used a lot better elsewhere.

STEPHANIE SY: Crews have been working to remove# the green goop with vacuum pumps and strainers.

STEVE GOODALE, "Swimming Pool Steve":# It's called new pond syndrome.

STEPHANIE SY: Pool expert and YouTube personality# Steve Goodale, better known as Swimming Poo.. Steve, says the algae is a typical occurrence# for freshly filled ponds.

But the damage to the## surface indicates potential issues with the bond# layer applied between the old and new finishes.

STEVE GOODALE: If you are deficient# or insufficient with your surface## preparation of the substrate# before you apply this product,## man, you are in for a bad time.

And what would# that look like if you were to see that?

Well,## it would basically look like it# would start peeling off in sheets.

STEPHANIE SY: President Trump says the# new repairs are set to begin immediately.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Stephanie Sy.