Jesse Watters Unleashes Footage of Suspected Vandal Who 'Slashed' Reflecting Pool

Jesse Watters aired video footage he claims shows individuals suspected of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, intensifying allegations of damage at the site.

During a segment on June 25, Watters echoed Donald Trump’s unverified assertions that Democrats were behind the destruction of the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. Co-host Jessica Tarlov immediately challenged his claims.

Watters stated, “The Democrats have been ripping up the Reflecting Pool,” before being interrupted by Tarlov. This incident follows Watters facing criticism over comments related to Israel, with viewers threatening to boycott the show.

Tarlov exclaimed, “Stop it!” as Watters pressed on, asserting, “A lot of people at this table pooh-poohed the idea that you guys would vandalize the pool. But now we have hard evidence recorded by The New York Times and the Park Police, because I’ve looked at all the reports.”

Watters, 47, described a scene involving a man with a pitchfork caught at midnight and referenced “171-foot razor slashes at the bottom.” He claimed someone filmed themselves damaging the pool while canoeing.

The New York Times report cited by Watters did not confirm that Democrats were responsible for the damage or that it was politically motivated.

Documents from the Park Service obtained by the Times noted “cuts in sections of the foam,” but did not clarify the cause.

A June 9 U.S. Park Police report mentioned “razor blade slashes” along a 20-foot stretch of foam, while other materials detailed two separate 171-foot blade cuts without specifying how they occurred.

Later that evening, Watters presented more footage on his prime-time show. He stated, “On the left, party poopers and prime time’s got the tapes,” claiming the Department of Interior provided video of individuals suspected of vandalizing the reflecting pool. He admitted, “Now we haven’t been able to verify the video, but take a look.”

Watters narrated the footage, describing a male in a blue shirt who appeared to reach into the pool multiple times and a female with a white tote bag who also reached in for a better angle. He questioned their actions, asking, “What are they doing? Are they cutting the lining? Are they peeling off the paint?”

He noted that no one was stopped or questioned by police, resulting in no arrests. Watters remarked on the lack of clarity regarding whether a crime was committed, suggesting they might claim to have lost something in the water.

Watters read a statement attributed to the Interior Department: “In the video you’re seeing two suspects observed destroying and removing a piece of the lining and attempting destruction of the lining. This incident took place on June 19, 2026, and we are investigating. Destroying, injuring, defacing, or removing cultural or architectural resources is a federal crime.”