WWII Memorial Vandalized With Spray Paint, Soap in Fountain

The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., was vandalized on Thursday, August 13, 2026, with red spray paint and a substance that caused its fountain to foam over with bubbles. President Donald Trump condemned the act on Friday, August 14, calling it a grave insult to American heroes and vowing that investigators were closing in on those responsible.

The vandalism was discovered Thursday afternoon at the memorial on the National Mall. U.S. Park Police responded and cordoned off the area with police tape, turning away tourists. Red paint was found on the walls and floor of the memorial's Atlantic pavilion, with some of it spelling out the phrase "Clean hands Dirty ." A substance, believed to be soap, was dumped into the memorial's fountain, causing it to bubble over. Crews arrived later in the evening to clean the paint and clear the suds.

President Trump addressed the incident in a post on Truth Social on Friday morning. "Our beautiful World War II Memorial was just hit by Spray Painting Vandals. THERE CAN BE NO GREATER INSULT TO THOSE AMERICAN HEROES WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR II," he wrote. He linked the event to a previous controversy, stating, "First the Reflecting Pool, now...