Trump posts AI video of filling Reflecting Pool with…

On June 5, 2026, President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social that appeared to mock liberal critics. The clip featured Trump smiling while holding a hose that poured water into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC.

What happened

The AI-generated video depicted the Reflecting Pool being filled with a crying person’s “tears.” In the footage, a person wearing a diving-style helmet is shown kneeling behind Trump, with tears streaming into the device to create the visual effect. The video references a viral 2017 inauguration reaction clip, which featured a person screaming “No!” and expressing distress after Trump was sworn in as president. That original footage has since become a recurring internet meme.

Following the initial post, Truth Social users shared additional AI-generated edits and memes. One version reportedly showed Trump unloading a truck full of “liberal tears” into the pool, while another depicted him dressed as painter Bob Ross with the caption, “And now we can just add some Happy Little Tears.”

The timing of the video coincided with updates regarding a $13.1 million renovation project for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Trump noted on Truth Social that the pool had been cleaned and repainted in a color he described as “American flag blue.” While the project was partially funded through National Park Service visitation fees, it has faced criticism from the Cultural Landscape Foundation, which argued that changes to the pool’s appearance might alter its historic character.