Leavitt Returns to Blast ‘Deranged’ Algae Protesters at Reflecting Pool

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt returned to television this week and sharply criticized the agitators who have gathered around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool amid allegations of vandalism targeting President Donald Trump’s restoration project.

During an appearance on Fox News, Leavitt said authorities have arrested at least five people in connection with alleged vandalism at the pool.

She also revealed that 14 police reports have been filed related to vandalism.

Leavitt, who went on maternity leave in late April and gave birth to her daughter in early May, has not yet returned to her regular duties in the White House Briefing Room. Still, she offered new details about the controversy unfolding in Washington, D.C.

The discussion began as host Sean Hannity laid out Trump’s plan to restore the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a project the president has framed as part of his broader effort to make the nation’s capital safer, cleaner, and more beautiful.

After the project was completed, algae began appearing in the pool. The Trump administration has accused critics of sabotaging the restoration, while left-wing protesters and activists have increasingly turned the issue into another anti-Trump spectacle.

Some agitators have shown up at the Reflecting Pool carrying signs supporting the algae that has damaged the project.

Leavitt mocked the display during her interview.

“Well, the baby is certainly much more enjoyable to talk about, Sean, but the algae is obviously the news of the day, and it is completely ridiculous,” Leavitt told Hannity.

“It’s unbelievable to see these people, these deranged leftists, in algae costumes with ‘team algae’ on their backs. What does that even mean?” she said.

Leavitt argued that the controversy shows how far Democrats and left-wing activists are willing to go in opposing Trump, even when the project is aimed at restoring a major American landmark.

“Only the Democrats could hate beautifying our nation’s capital and making it a symbol of pride again, but this is what the American people elected President Trump to do,” she continued.

Leavitt said Trump’s efforts in Washington are tied directly to the promises he made to voters.

“He made this promise to them on the campaign trail. The president approved this. He promised that he was going to make our nation’s capital both safe and beautiful again, and it is a promise that he has kept.”

Among those arrested was former U.S. Olympic canoeist David “Davey” Hearn, who told NBC News he was detained for five hours Friday after touching a piece of detached coating at the Reflecting Pool.

Trump said over the weekend, following a meeting with contractors at Camp David, that the Reflecting Pool will likely need to be drained again.

Marine One was spotted flying over the area Sunday, and Trump said he had personally “inspected” the Reflecting Pool.

On Monday morning, the president again accused opponents of targeting the site ahead of America’s 250th birthday celebration.

“Chemicals have been dumped illegally into the water,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “The Reflecting Pool has been torn open with a 300-foot-long gash.

“Please remember that there is a 10-year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things — Which will be fully enforced!” Trump added.

Later Monday afternoon, Trump told reporters the damage was a “350-foot slit from one end to the other.”

“I saw it. They cut it. They cut it very violently,” he said.

When a reporter asked to see photos, Trump responded, “You’ll see it in court, but all you have to do is call the parks department, call the Department of Interior.”

The $14.8 million restoration project has drawn outrage from Democratic lawmakers and local Washington residents, some of whom have gone to the National Mall to inspect the pool for themselves.

During a CNN appearance, Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell said her constituents are “outraged” by the algae.

For conservatives, the episode has become another example of the left turning even basic civic restoration into a political fight. Trump has argued that cleaning up Washington is not merely cosmetic, but part of restoring national pride and public order in the capital.

The president has vowed to continue his efforts despite opposition from Democrats, activists, and critics who appear determined to block or ridicule nearly every visible symbol of his agenda.

At its core, the fight over the Reflecting Pool is no longer just about algae or concrete. It is about whether America’s capital should reflect dignity, order, and pride — or whether even a national landmark must become another battlefield in the left’s war against Trump.