General Discussion

President Donald Trump’s claim that the recently rehabilitated Washington Reflecting Pool was damaged by a saboteur wielding a box cutter appears to conflict with a statement issued by the coating manufacturer involved in the project. Trump alleged that someone entered the pool and intentionally slashed the coating, causing damage that required repairs.

In a statement released June 22, Rhino Linings, a company primarily known for spray on truck bed liners, said it was aware of reports of “localized areas of finish coat separation” in portions of the rehabilitation project. The company said it had been informed by the project team that the issue was limited to isolated areas of the finish layer and did not affect the underlying waterproofing membrane.

One would think a box cutting knife wouldn’t stop for a waterproofing membrane. Rhino Linings said corrective actions had already been identified and did not mention vandalism, sabotage, criminal activity, or cuts to the coating.

While the manufacturer’s statement does not definitively rule out Trump’s claim, it describes the problem as finish-coat separation rather than deliberate damage caused by a box cutter.