The dream of the patriotic pond in the American capital looks set to become more of a nightmare for US President Donald Trump, most recently when flakes of the paint - "American flag blue" - came loose from the bottom.
Over the weekend, a man was arrested near the dam on charges of destruction of government property, the Washington Post reports. According to him, he reached out to touch one of the flakes that had come loose as police approached.
Trump writes on Truth Social that it is an "insult" from "horrible vandals" and that the pond has never been more beautiful.
Ahead of the celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, Trump ordered a renovation of the dam and that its bottom be painted blue.
The story of the dam is a long and costly one. Ever since it was completed in 1922, it has been plagued by algae blooms, despite extensive renovations.
