More people have been arrested over the Reflecting Pool than the Epstein files

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More people have now been arrested in connection to the Reflecting Pool than over the Epstein files, a lawmaker has said.

In recent days, six people have been detained for allegedly vandalizing the Reflecting Pool after the basin was overtaken by algae and its paint began peeling. President Donald Trump has taken a notably aggressive line, denouncing alleged perpetrators as “sick and deranged” and claiming they could face “years in jail.”

By contrast, months after the Justice Department released millions of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — many of them naming prominent figures — no new arrests have been made in the U.S. Trump’s tone on that matter has been far more detached. “I think it’s really time for the country to get on to something else,” he told reporters in February.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Virginia Democrat, highlighted the discrepancy in law enforcement tactics during an interview with The Hill on Wednesday.

He accused the Trump administration of targeting harmless visitors at the Reflecting Pool while failing to pursue accountability for potential criminals linked to Epstein. “That’s how this administration operates these days,” he said.

open image in gallery More people have been arrested over the Reflecting Pool than the Epstein files, a discrepancy that was recently highlighted by a Democratic lawmaker ( AFP via Getty Images )

When reached by The Independent, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers attacked Democrats over the Reflecting Pool, but made no mention of Epstein.

“It is shameful that elected Democrats would defend the deranged vandalism that has taken place at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool,” Rogers said. “The President’s efforts to beautify our nation’s capital are supported by Americans across the country and should be praised by both Republicans and Democrats. President Trump generously spearheaded the restoration of the Reflecting Pool, and it is now reflecting beautifully despite the vandals’ attempt to destroy it.”

The arrests followed the Trump administration’s completion earlier this month of a multimillion-dollar renovation of the Reflecting Pool, located in front of the Lincoln Memorial. After several no-bid contracts were awarded, crews drained the pool and applied an “American flag blue” sealant.

Just days after the basin was refilled, visitors noticed the water had turned a distinct shade of green, with clumps of algae floating on the surface. Soon after, chunks of blue paint began to peel away from the bottom.

Trump has repeatedly attributed the pool’s deterioration to sabotage, claiming that someone armed with a knife slashed a long gash in the bottom. However, according to documents obtained by The New York Times, workers were aware of problems at the pool even as the administration publicly described the renovation as a success.

This week, the White House announced that six people had been arrested in connection with alleged vandalism at the site.

“The vandalism is very real…in fact I spoke with the National Parks Service just before joining the show,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Monday. “They now have 17 police reports that have been filed in just a matter of a few days.”

One of the reported arrests was of Olympian David Hearn, who said he was detained after leaning over to touch a “loose flap of coating” near the pool.

“I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything,” he told The Washington Post. “By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”

open image in gallery Months after the DOJ released millions of files on Jeffrey Epstein, no new arrests have been made. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in April: ‘We do not have a case against anybody’ ( U.S. Justice Department )

Following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November, the Department of Justice began releasing millions of documents related to the convicted sex offender, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial.

The documents — some of which are heavily redacted — detail numerous allegations of sexual abuse involving Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell and others. They also reference or name a string of high-profile figures, including Trump, former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, none of whom have been accused of any wrongdoing, and have since distanced themselves from Epstein or expressed regret over their relationship with the disgraced financier.

The files further indicate that federal prosecutors and investigators identified at least 10 additional alleged co-conspirators in their probe of Epstein and Maxwell, raising new questions about the scope of their network.

Still, months after the files were released, the Department of Justice has not brought charges against any new individuals connected to Epstein.

Trump, whose relationship with Epstein ended in the 2000s, has repeatedly dismissed the scandal as a hoax and urged the public to move on.

“I think it's really time for the country to maybe get onto something else,” Trump told reporters on February 3. “Now that nothing came out about me, other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally by Epstein and other people.”

In April, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC News: “From the information that we have within the Epstein files, we do not have a case against anybody.”

While no arrests have been made, the House Oversight Committee has received testimony from a number of high-level figures, including Gates, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Public skepticism about the government’s response remains high. In a February YouGov survey, 53 percent of respondents said they believe Trump is “trying to cover up Epstein’s crimes,” while 29 percent said they disagreed.