Trump blames vandals for damaged grass after his July 4 event

President Donald Trump on Sunday said vandals destroyed grass on the National Mall near the World War II Memorial, where he hosted a large July 4 celebration. He posted a photo of a patchy brown lawn on his Truth Social platform, calling it vandalism without providing evidence.

The damaged area is where a stage and seating for over 400,000 people, as Trump claimed, were set up for the Independence Day event. Photos from a Washington Monument webcam show the structures covering the lawn, and AP images later revealed brown grass underneath after workers removed them.

Trump has previously blamed vandals for damage to his renovation projects, often contradicting his own officials. In July, he accused vandals of marking the numbers "86 47" in the grass, which federal officials said was a threat against him. Authorities arrested Melissa L. Farris for vandalism at the World War II Memorial, but charging documents mention no damage to the lawn Trump now cites.