A social media post falsely claimed that FBI Director Kash Patel announced federal charges for damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The post alleged that offenders would face up to 20 years in prison for harming protected species, specifically citing “Potomac Wood Ducks,” allegedly affected by chemicals introduced by “Antifa.”
However, a fact-check revealed no evidence of such an announcement from Patel or the FBI. Searches for keywords related to the claim produced no credible news reports. The original social media post also contained a disclaimer stating, “Nothing on this page is real,” indicating it was intended as satire.
Separately, President Donald Trump had commented on the issues affecting the Reflecting Pool, attributing recent problems to vandalism and confirming an ongoing investigation. These remarks came amidst concerns about algae growth and material degradation following the pool’s renovation. The repair costs for the project had reportedly increased.
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