The Daily Populous

Sunday June 21st, 2026 morning edition

image for Trump says multiple people have been arrested for allegedly vandalizing Reflecting Pool

The United States Park Police have arrested multiple people for allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, President Trump said Saturday, days after algae turned the water a fluorescent green hue and rips appeared in an "American Flag Blue" surface handpicked by the president.

"The United States Park Police have arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Poll (sic)," Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post Saturday.

Mr. Trump said Saturday night that it's likely the Reflecting Pool will have to be drained again for what he termed "necessary repairs.".

The newly refurbished Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is contaminated by algae, as seen from the Washington Monument on June 17.

He told The Associated Press he wanted to examine the peeling new coating on the bottom of the pool that Mr. Trump had ordered installed.

Workers were seen in recent days removing algae from the Reflecting Pool, and on Tuesday morning, crews dumped bottles of hydrogen peroxide into the water.

Authorities said the numbers could have been meant as a threat to Mr. Trump, the 47th president. »

U.S. and Iran to talk Sunday in Switzerland as Tehran says it closed Strait of Hormuz again

Authored by pbs.org
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Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir also left for Switzerland late Saturday.

Talks were meant to start Friday, but the Iranians canceled plans to attend because of escalating fighting in Lebanon.

But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told state TV that negotiations toward a final agreement will begin once key commitments are upheld. »

Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, blames US for breaching deal

Authored by jpost.com

US Vice President JD Vance disputed the closure during an interview with Fox News on Saturday, stating that there is no evidence that Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the Mehr report, Iran's military stated that the closure is also in response to continued Israeli operations against Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.

US President Donald Trump holds up the memorandum of understanding, signed by the US, and Iran, at the Palace of Versailles, in France. »