Trump blames vandals for damaged grass in the same spot where he held his big July 4 celebration

A woman, Melissa Farris, has been arrested and charged with two felonies for the vandalism of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. The charges, depredation of U.S. property and destruction of veterans’ memorials, carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison. The vandalism, which occurred the day prior to the arrest, involved soap filling the memorial's fountain and graffiti painted on its surface. This arrest follows President Trump's public criticism of US Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping charges in a separate vandalism case at the nearby Reflecting Pool. Pirro stated the damage to the Reflecting Pool was due to faulty repairs, a claim Trump disputed.

The National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. was vandalized on Thursday with soapy bubbles and graffiti reading "Clean hands Dirty $". The U.S. Interior Department condemned the act as a "disgrace" and vowed to find the perpetrator, while the Friends of the National World War II Memorial stated that national memorials should not be used for political expression. The Veterans of Foreign Wars also called the vandalism an "act of profound disrespect." U.S. Park Police are investigating the incident, which occurred near the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, an area that has seen recent controversy. Visitors described the graffiti as disrespectful to those honored by the memorial.