President Donald Trump claimed that vandals are responsible for large areas of dead grass on the National Mall near the World War II Memorial. This location previously hosted his July 4th celebration, where a stage was built for the event.

In a social media post, Trump connected the damage to vandalism and shared a photo of the area now brown and patchy. “Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalized World War II Monument and the vandalized Reflecting Pool,” he stated on his Truth Social platform.

Trump suggested law students should take note, implying a misunderstanding if they believe the Reflecting Pool was not vandalized. He has often blamed vandals without evidence, as seen when U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro concluded that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was from construction issues.

Recent vandalism at the World War II Memorial, involving graffiti and a fouled fountain, resulted in felony charges against Melissa L. Farris. However, her arrest does not mention the grass Trump discusses. This area is where a stage and seating were placed during the July 4th event.

Trump has asserted an audience of over 400,000 attended, yet photos from that day show substantial structures on the lawn, later removed to reveal brown grass. Despite Pirro’s findings, Trump posted an image showing “86 47” on the grass, citing it as evidence of vandalism.