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At launch event the president touts Washington's changes, describes vandalism at reflecting pool and cites a $10 million donation for Lafayette Park
Summary
During the event the president described a "renaissance" in Washington, D.C., detailed vandalism at the National Mall reflecting pool and said he had donated $10 million to Lafayette Park; he asked whether the park's red brick pavers should be changed to granite.
At the event the president described recent changes in Washington, D.C., citing renovations to parks and monuments and saying the city had become "one of the safest" places in the United States. He credited federal action and military support for removing individuals he described as criminals and said the city's tourism and restaurant sectors had recovered.
The president also walked through damage to the National Mall reflecting pool, saying the pool had leaked "from 1922" and that vandals had cut waterproofing materials and defaced newly replaced grass. He described video footage showing people cutting materials and said the repairs were nearing completion. "Kill the grass," he said recounting vandalism found on the replaced turf.
Separately, the president said he personally donated $10,000,000 for Lafayette Park renovations and asked attendees whether to replace the park's red brick pavers with gray granite; an attendee urged the change. The event included criticism of Jeanine Pirro's handling of related legal issues, with the president saying she "folded like an umbrella" in a post-vandalism legal exchange. No legal documents were presented at the event; the president's remarks recount incidents and described ongoing repairs.
