Trump calls Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool a symbol of 'Biden filth and incompetence', vows to ‘fix’ it

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (November 26) took aim at former President Joe Biden in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, using the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as a symbol of what he described as “Biden filth and incompetence.”

In his post, Trump wrote: “This is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool before Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and I fix it. Study it hard because you won’t be seeing this Biden filth and incompetence much longer!”

Trump’s remarks came alongside a photograph of the reflecting pool, which he suggested requires urgent attention. He named Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum as collaborating with him on the effort, signaling a planned intervention if he were to return to office.

While the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has periodically undergone maintenance under the National Park Service, Trump’s comments politicize the landmark and tie it to his broader campaign rhetoric against Biden’s administration.

This marks the latest instance of Trump leveraging social media to publicly highlight what he describes as the failings of the Biden administration, often using visual or symbolic references to underscore his criticism.

Trump unveils ‘Arc de Trump’ across from Lincoln Memorial to Mark 250th Anniversary

Trump unveiled plans on October 16 for a massive triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., designed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026. The proposed structure, closely modeled on Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, has already been nicknamed the “Arc de Trump.”

A gateway across from Lincoln Memorial

The Arc de Trump is planned for Memorial Circle, at the entrance to the Arlington Memorial Bridge, directly across from the Lincoln Memorial, one of the nation’s most iconic monuments. Trump described the arch as a “gateway to Washington, D.C.,” emphasizing its symbolic connection to the city’s historic landmarks.

Trump noted that Memorial Circle has long remained vacant despite earlier proposals dating back to the 19th century.

Design and symbolism

The proposed arch draws inspiration from the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, aiming to create a monumental focal point on the National Mall. Its location opposite the Lincoln Memorial situates it among some of the capital’s most visited and historically significant sites, underscoring a link between the new monument and America’s enduring ideals of liberty and leadership.