Trump admin renovations damage National Mall fountain, other monuments

Trump Contractor Damages Fountain on National Mall

President Donald Trump's sweeping construction projects have damaged yet another national monument. A fountain in the German-American Friendship Garden on the National Mall is in poor condition after a contractor vehicle drove over it, Newsweek reported Thursday.

According to recent photographs captured by photojournalist Andrew Leyden, the center of the fountain has collapsed into the ground, and surrounding stones were severely cracked. Repairs are reportedly underway.

Screenshot

Ongoing Renovation Issues Across Washington, D.C.

This recent damage comes amid Trump's broader renovation efforts around Washington, D.C., and is not the first time federal contractors hired by the Trump administration have damaged a historic landmark.

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Just a few hundred yards from the cracked fountain, renovations on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool have been disastrous. Shortly after construction was completed, large sections of the pool's new blue lining began to peel off. Experts have suggested the peeling was the result of shoddy application—not shadowy vandals, as administration officials have suggested.

Key details:

• Renovations have cost taxpayers more than $16 million
• The iconic monument has been left drained
• It is surrounded by chain-link fences
• It remains under strict surveillance

Lincoln Memorial Undercroft

A short walk away, the $69 million worth of renovations on the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft have also encountered problems. The National Parks Service has struggled to maintain safe conditions for displaying historical documents, leading to their removal from the brand-new exhibit last week.

Related reading: Trump's Handpicked Company Screwed Up Reflecting Pool Reno From Start

New Senator Darline Graham Faces Scrutiny Over Abortion Stance

Newly minted Senator Darline Graham, stepping in for her recently deceased brother Lindsey, has only one political donation on record—and it was to a South Carolina state senator who helped kill an abortion ban.

The Daily Beast reported Tuesday that Graham in 2020 donated $100 to state Senator Katrina Shealy, who is perhaps best known for filibustering the state's near-total abortion ban in 2023.

Background on Katrina Shealy

• Shealy was part of South Carolina's "sister senators," a group of five female state lawmakers—two Republicans, a Democrat, and an independent—who staunchly opposed the ban.
• Shealy lost her primary the next year, largely due to this vote.

Graham's Response

Graham tried to bury the news of her ties to Shealy, writing in a statement on X on Wednesday that she believed in "protecting the sanctity of human life at every stage."

"For years, I've committed my life to fighting for vulnerable populations, and no one is more vulnerable than an unborn child who cannot speak for themselves," she wrote. "As a mother, I know that welcoming children into this world is God's greatest gift. I'm proud to be pro-life and to stand up for the unborn and expecting moms. I will not waver in my support for life, pregnant women, and families."

Conservative Backlash

The MAGA-verse does not seem convinced.

"Darline Graham Nordone is good friends with Katrina Shealy, the disgraced former South Carolina state senator who is PRO-ABORTION and OPPOSED the Heartbeat bill," one conservative X account commented. "Darline even donated money to her campaign."

"I'm going to ask @LIFEforSC to not consider her for the coveted..."