Swing State Democrat Claims Reflecting Pool Algae Is The Biggest Issue Back Home

A top House Democrat claimed Monday that algae in Washington, D.C.’s reflecting pool is the only issue her constituents back home are talking about.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) said her constituents were “outraged” by algae in the picturesque reflecting pool, calling it “sad” and a “real problem” on CNN.  

“That’s all anybody talked about at home this weekend,” Dingell said. “It’s very sad, actually, as we do go into the 250th and you know, the 250th is a time that all of us should remember how lucky we are to live in this country, and what our forefathers put into that Constitution.”

U.S. Rep Debbie Dingell claims algae in the Washington, DC reflecting pool is all that her constituents were talking about over the weekend in Michigan.

“Algae, that’s all anybody talked at home this weekend. They were outraged.”

I’ll take things that never happened for $500. pic.twitter.com/kQ3fwFp4Iz

— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) June 22, 2026

“I don’t know what’s happened. Algae’s a real problem, and it is in Michigan, it is in the Great Lakes, so maybe people will study it and understand what he did to the reflecting pool, which is part of the beauty of Washington. I don’t like that it’s there,” Dingell added. 

The Michigan Democrat’s feedback follows days of protests and vandalism along the National Mall. 

National Park Service crews have been scrubbing algae from the pool as strips of “American flag blue” paint and sealant peel from its bottom, weeks after a $14.8 million restoration, The Daily Wire previously reported. Algae growth has plagued the reflecting pool since it first opened in 1922, according to an X post from the Interior Department.

Three-time U.S. Olympian David Hearn told ABC News that police arrested him on Friday after touching a piece of blue coating that was partially detached from the bottom of the reflecting pool. He stopped by the reflecting pool as a “curious, concerned citizen.” 

“I saw a piece of this loose end of this blue coating … I reached out and touched the end of that piece that was loose but still attached to the bottom,” he told ABC News. “I was able to reach out and touch the edge of that that was still attached at the bottom and handled it a little bit.” 

Alleged vandalism aside, viral videos circulating on social media show leftists holding “pro algae” protests, including one woman saying, “algae’s better than MAGA.”

A literal pro-algae protest in DC today

You can’t make this stuff up pic.twitter.com/6b5v5a0ayL

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 19, 2026

The issues plaguing the iconic landmark have drawn President Trump’s ire as he pushes to restore the site ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, calling alleged vandals “SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!” 

“Of the MANY Statues and Fountains that we rebuilt, renovated, cleaned, and fixed, the only one that was Vandalized was the Reflecting Pool, which is being taken care of, ASAP! It has been given a 300 foot long gash, chemicals have been illegally placed in the water, and the beautiful new grass field has been destroyed with a gigantic 86 47 chemically carved into it (Probably inspired by Dirty Cop, James Comey!),” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

“Please remember that there is a 10 year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things — Which will be fully enforced! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he added.