Donald Trump claimed that he personally “overturned” a recommendation to cancel the July 4th event on the National Mall when storms threatened. Yet questions remain on whether his intervention was actually necessary or even happened at all.

President Donald Trump announced his intention to repair the National Mall’s legendary reflecting pool soon after July 4. Heightened security measures remain in place due to ongoing controversy and lingering maintenance challenges affecting one of Washington’s most visited landmarks.

A statue depicting President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein stood for just one day on the National Mall before its abrupt removal. Although it had permission to remain until Sunday night, the reasons for its unexpected departure remain unclear.