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Evidence shows Trump admin caused Reflecting Pool damage it blamed on sabotage: ex-insider

Raw Story

An ex-GOP lawmaker has heard enough about phantom left-wing saboteurs at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and he is pointing at the only suspects who fit the evidence: the people Trump hired to clean it. In a series of posts and a new video, former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger dismantled the administration's vandalism narrative by accepting one piece of it. Yes, he conceded, chemicals were used on the pool. The catch is who used them and why. "Just for those who are saying there was chemical sabotage to peel the paint in the reflective pool, you're right," Kinzinger wrote. "It's just, you guys did it to kill the algae." His central claim cuts straight through the conspiracy theory. "The Trump administration dumped hydrogen peroxide to kill the algae and it stripped the paint," he said in the video, adding bluntly in a follow-up that "it was literally the people who painted it. They poured peroxide in it." In other words, the corrosive chemicals Trump blamed on radical leftists were the cleanup crew's own attempt to rescue a basin that had turned green within days of its multimillion-dollar makeover. Kinzinger backed the point with a quick search result showing that highly concentrated, industrial-grade hydrogen peroxide acts as a strong oxidizer capable of breaking down the binder in paint and causing it to bubble and peel. That is the same outcome now floating across the surface of the pool, which the president has described instead as a deliberate "knife or blade" attack and a "250 foot long gash" carved into a national monument. The contrast with how some Trump allies want to treat the matter is stark. Kinzinger was responding in part to commentator Jeff Storobinsky, who suggested that anyone "causing damage at the reflecting pool should face the same consequences of those who stormed the Capitol on 1.6." Kinzinger's reply amounts to a warning that such a standard would land on the administration itself, since by his account the damage was self-inflicted maintenance, not an assault by outsiders. His broader frustration was with a movement he says cannot tolerate the idea that its leader made a mistake. They are "unable to see a flaw in their God king," Kinzinger wrote Saturday, choosing an elaborate sabotage story over the simpler truth that a rushed, overpriced renovation failed on its own. The peeling paint, in his telling, is not evidence of a crime. It is evidence of a cover story falling apart in real time. I have to do another video on the reflective pool debacle. They are trying to say it was sabotaged by the left. They are unable to see a flaw in their God king. The Trump administration dumped hydrogen peroxide to kill the algae and it stripped the paint. pic.twitter.com/jGCha2yGoX — Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@AdamKinzinger) June 20, 2026

1 hour ago

Fact Checked (1)

Vance travels to Switzerland for nuclear talks with Iran

Axios

Vice President Vance traveled to Switzerland on Saturday ahead of a first round of negotiations with Iran that's expected on Sunday at the Burgenstock ski resort. Why it matters: This will be the first round of direct talks between the U.S. and Iran since the Islamabad summit last April. It's supposed to launch 60 days of nuclear negotiations. The talks are expected to take place despite Iran claiming on Saturday that it was shutting down the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon. Given that backdrop, things could break down at any time, "I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're to be focused on," Vance told reporters on Saturday before leaving Washington. Driving the news: White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Switzerland on Saturday morning. Later on Saturday, an Iranian delegation headed by Speaker of Parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the country. The prime ministers of Pakistan and Qatar and Pakistan's top general are in Switzerland to serve as mediators. The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency will also participate. Vance said Saturday that the negotiations will last "a couple days" and he will stay "for a day or two." The VP said the first round is aimed at "getting the actual structure and negotiation in place." He noted that there will also be working-level talks by technical experts that could continue in Switzerland after the first round of high-level talks concludes. Between the lines: The U.S. would like the first round of talks to end with an Iranian invitation for UN inspectors to visit its nuclear sites, which were bombed by the U.S. and Israel, two regional sources with direct knowledge said. The last such visit took place before the previous war in June, 2025. In return, the U.S. is willing to give Iran access to some of its frozen funds — starting with a $6 billion account in Qatar. The Iranians would be able to use those funds to buy humanitarian goods, the sources said. What to watch: On Saturday, ahead of the talks, Israel and Hezbollah announced they were re-committed to the ceasefire. Such statements have tended to be very short-lived. A similar ceasefire broke down within hours on Friday. Vance acknowledged Lebanon could derail the negotiations, but said Secretary of State Marco Rubio is handling de-escalation efforts. "Despite the headlines, things are actually getting better there, and things are slowing down a little bit. It's going to be something we're just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure," Vance said.

5 hours ago

Fact Checked (1)

Obama Presidential Center offers ‘safe space’ for children with new playground in Jackson Park

Chicago Suntimes

<p>When Brynn Baker asked her 6-year-old, Ever Jones, if he was ready to leave the playground, his answer came almost instantly: No.</p><p>Even flushed and out of breath, Ever darted back for one more trip down the slide at the new playground on the campus of the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park.</p><p>“I’m going to have a hard time getting him to leave,” said Baker, 42, of Grand Boulevard. “But I’m really glad to see him play, use his imagination and connect with other kids, too.”</p><p>Ever was one of dozens of children and parents making the most of everything the playground had to offer Saturday morning, the second day the center was open to the public.</p><p>The playground is one of <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/06/19/obama-presidential-center-public-opening-free-activities-basketball-dance" target="_blank" >several attractions on the grounds</a> — but by far the most popular among children. The large nature-inspired playground includes slides, swings, tunnels and a rope course.</p><p>Ever was partial to the slides and swings.</p><p>But parents said they were grateful their children now had a safe place to play.</p><p>Chicago native Veneca Coulanges, who grew up in Roseland, said she often visited the nearby park as a child. But as she got older, she said crime began pushing children out and the space no longer felt safe.</p><p>Coulanges, who now lives in Florida, said she was glad her daughters would have a different experience than she had growing up when they visit.</p><p>“It’s a gift to the South Side,” said Coulanges, 42. “This used to be a scary place. To see it transformed like this is incredible.”</p><p>The grounds drew plenty of tourists, but locals said they would be the ones who would fully take advantage of the space.</p><p>Ramon Paredes said his 5-year-old daughter, Valentina, is often full of energy, and playing outside is the best way for her to burn some of it off. But Paredes, who lives in Woodlawn, said he often worries about his daughter’s safety and is sometimes hesitant to take her to public parks.</p><p>“It depends on which part of the town you are, which part of the neighborhood,” said Paredes, 44. “I’m worried about finding needles on the ground, or wary about who’s at the park hanging out.”</p><p>When he arrived at the playground on the grounds of the presidential center, he said he was instantly put at ease.</p><p>“I hope this will always be a safe space for kids to be kids,” he said.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center> <div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop=""> <figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-cf0000" name="image-cf0000"></a> <picture data-crop="medium"> <source type="image/webp" width="490" height="275" data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/610dfd2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff5%2F91%2F50c51d7842839e4a4a1cdf005dcd%2Fobamacenterplaza-260621-5.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8964cc4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff5%2F91%2F50c51d7842839e4a4a1cdf005dcd%2Fobamacenterplaza-260621-5.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=" /> <source width="490" height="275" data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8934b60/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff5%2F91%2F50c51d7842839e4a4a1cdf005dcd%2Fobamacenterplaza-260621-5.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=" /> <img class="Image" alt="OBAMACENTERPLAZA_260621-5.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8934b60/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff5%2F91%2F50c51d7842839e4a4a1cdf005dcd%2Fobamacenterplaza-260621-5.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5608e05/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff5%2F91%2F50c51d7842839e4a4a1cdf005dcd%2Fobamacenterplaza-260621-5.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275" data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8934b60/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff5%2F91%2F50c51d7842839e4a4a1cdf005dcd%2Fobamacenterplaza-260621-5.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=" > </picture> <div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Valentina Paredes, 5, tries to navigate the ropes Saturday at the Obama Presidential Center’s playground.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Jeremy Battle/Sun-Times</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>Veronica Simmons, who was at the playground keeping an eye on her grandson, agreed and said children “need somewhere to go” where they can feel safe and free from danger.</p><p>She said the Obamas provided that by creating a space where families can gather and children can have their fun.</p><p>“It’s been a joy being here,” said Simmons, 59, of Chatham. “They can just be kids. Even parents are enjoying being here.”</p><p>While playing, Simmons said her grandson, Omari Simmons, has been able to interact with children of different ages and backgrounds — something she said isn’t always possible in Chicago.</p><p>“Here we can all come together as one and get along,” she said. “Here it doesn’t matter where you come from. All that matters is that you’re having fun.”</p><p>Simmons said she believes that was former President Barack Obama’s intention, and that he succeeded in achieving it.</p><p>“He’s left something beautiful for us,” she said.<br></p>

6 hours ago

Fact Checked (1)

Expert notes GOP's next big problem: 'Where Trump has really been falling short'

Raw Story

Larry Sabato is not questioning whether Donald Trump still owns the Republican Party. He thinks the party should just go ahead and put the president's name on the door. Speaking with Alex Witt on MS NOW Saturday, the University of Virginia political scientist and Crystal Ball editor said Trump remains firmly in control of the GOP, which Sabato suggested be "renamed the Trump party." He tied that grip directly to the movement around the president, calling it "part and parcel of the cult, the MAGA cult." Trump does not win every primary fight, Sabato allowed, but his endorsed candidates stay competitive and he can often shove them over the line. Then came the part Republicans should worry about. A MAGA base, Sabato argued, tops out at roughly 35 percent of the electorate, and no one wins a general election on that alone, no matter how fired up the turnout. "That's where Tump has really been falling short," he said. The president is unpopular with Democrats, which surprises no one, but Sabato zeroed in on a group that actually decides elections: independents. They usually break close to evenly, he noted, around 55-45 at most. Trump, in some surveys, is carrying an unfavorable or poor job-approval rating of 65 to 70 percent with that group. "That's where it's going to hurt republicans this fall," he said. The conversation turned to Georgia, where Rep. Mike Collins won the Republican Senate runoff with a late push from Trump and will now face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Sabato pointed to a Politico framing that Democrats had landed the opponent they wanted, and he did not hedge on it. Ossoff is "clearly the favorite," he said, and the race is "not a toss up." Sabato did not pretend the outcome is sealed. Things can go sideways, he acknowledged. But he described an Ossoff who is making an impression well beyond Georgia, recounting a recent non-political gathering where people kept telling him they were impressed and wanted to see Ossoff run for president. He paired that with the senator's campaign war chest, then turned to Collins, who he said was the weaker choice and has "some rough edges, and that's putting it kindly." Suburban Republicans, in his read, are not exactly thrilled to vote for the man. The bigger picture is what should keep GOP strategists up at night. Asked where Senate control is heading, Sabato reached back a year, when almost no Democrat and zero Republicans believed the chamber would even be in play. Now, he said, it is genuinely competitive. Democrats still need a lot to break their way, with Alaska, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, and possibly other states all in the mix, but he insisted the path is real and visible in a way it simply was not twelve months ago. His parting warning was aimed at Democrats as much as Republicans. To matter in the Senate, where every state gets two seats regardless of size, the party cannot keep itself penned into blue enclaves. The opening Sabato sees is wide enough to run through this fall. Whether Democrats are built to do it, this cycle and beyond, is the question he left hanging Saturday.

2 hours ago

Fact Checked (1)

US Troops Remain on Mexican Border Despite Low Crossings, Raising Readiness Concerns

Headtopics

Over 9,000 active-duty U.S. troops continue to patrol the southwest border at a cost of tens of millions weekly, even after illegal crossings dropped significantly. The deployment, part of the Trump administration's security policy, faces scrutiny from lawmakers and analysts over its impact on military readiness and training, while cartel activity has surged following a leader's death and service members' phones were hacked.

6 hours ago

Fact Checked (1)

Trump family member says his new Kennedy Center move reveals his true 'insecurity'

Raw Story

Mary Trump has spent years telling anyone who will listen that her uncle cannot bear to be seen losing. This week she pointed to a tarp draped over the Kennedy Center as her latest exhibit. In the newest edition of her newsletter, the segment she calls "Trump Trolls Trump," the clinical psychologist and niece of the president argued that the covering left over the building's facade was not about construction logistics. It was about ego. Crews began stripping Donald Trump's name off the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after a federal judge ruled the renaming illegal, and Mary Trump claimed the tarp stayed up for a revealing reason. Because he is "such an insecure, thin skinned baby," she wrote, "they left the tarp up so we cannot actually watch Donald's letters being removed." It is the kind of read that lands differently coming from her than from an ordinary commentator. As the president's niece and the author of a bestselling book diagnosing the psychology of her own family, Mary Trump has built her public profile on the argument that her uncle's behavior is driven by a fragile need to never appear weak. The tarp, in her telling, is that need made physical. The underlying events are not in dispute. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper determined that the president's name had been illegally added to the center, after a board stacked with Trump loyalists voted in December 2025 to rebrand it. The court ordered the name removed and blocked the administration's plan to close the venue for a lengthy renovation. After a last-minute scramble of appeals and a requested extension blamed on thunderstorms, workers began prying the lettering off the facade in the early hours of June 13, with scaffolding and tarp covering the wall. Mary Trump found the cover-up almost too fitting. The same tarp meant to spare her uncle the indignity of watching his own name come down, she noted, also blocks the public from seeing the name of the man the building was actually built to honor. "We cannot see the name of John Fitzgerald Kennedy," she wrote, "the man for whom the Kennedy Center was actually named." She returned to the theme that animates her entire project: a man who treats every loss as something to be hidden, spun, or blamed on someone else. Throughout the newsletter she refers to him only as "Donald," a small but deliberate choice that keeps the family relationship in the frame and strips away the deference of his title. Her broader point was not subtle. The week, she argued, was a parade of self-inflicted embarrassments dressed up as strength, "corruption masquerading as governance" and "incompetence disguised as confidence." The Kennedy Center tarp simply gave her the cleanest image for it. The claim that the tarp was kept up to shield Trump's feelings is Mary Trump's interpretation, not a stated explanation from the administration, which has cited the appeals process and the building's condition.

4 hours ago

Fact Checked (1)