Joe Biden makes dig at Trump trying to fix reflecting pool after he threatened vandals with 10 years in prison

Joe Biden has taken a swipe at Donald Trump over his handling of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, just weeks after the current president threatened vandals with a decade behind bars over damage to the landmark.

The former president didn't hold back during a speech in Maryland, where he criticised a number of decisions made by the Trump administration, branding several of his successor's recent projects "vanity projects."

Among them, Biden pointed to renovations made to the White House, plans for a new ballroom, and the decision to put Trump's name on the Kennedy Center, before turning his attention to the Reflecting Pool.

He told the crowd Trump had gone as far as "hiring his own pool guy to fix the reflecting pool," before adding bluntly: "Whoa, what a loser."

Washington DC's Reflecting Pool has already turned green (Ken CEDENO / AFP via Getty Images)

Why did Trump say the reflecting pool was vandalised?

It comes after Trump ordered a major renovation of the Reflecting Pool earlier this year, a project reportedly costing more than $14,000,000, which saw the National Mall's water feature drained, resurfaced, and the bottom painted in 'American flag blue'.

However, the makeover ran into trouble almost immediately, with the paint beginning to peel and the water turning green from algae less than a month after work finished.

Trump blamed the issues on vandalism, claiming the site had been deliberately damaged, including allegations that chemicals had been placed in the water and that the surrounding grass had been carved with symbols.

He went on to warn that anyone caught vandalising the pool or similar public monuments could face a decade in prison, writing on Truth Social that the punishment would be "fully enforced." Trump did not provide evidence to support his vandalism claims at the time.

Joe Biden didn't hold back on Donald Trump in a speech in Maryland (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

What else did Biden say about Trump in his speech?

Beyond the dig at the pool, Biden used the speech to accuse Trump of corruption "on a scale never seen before in American history," claiming his successor had made billions of dollars off the presidency since returning to office.

He also hit out at reports that Trump wanted to compensate people involved in the January 6th Capitol riots, telling the audience that those who "attacked the police" and tried to harm his own vice president "don't deserve to be compensated."

Biden's speech ended on a rallying note, urging Democrats and young people in the room not to give in to fear, referencing advice from his own father growing up: "Get up, pal. Get up, Joey. Get up."

He closed by calling on the crowd to "get back up" and fight for a country that gives "hate no safe harbor," ahead of what he described as America's 250th year since its founding.

It comes amid wider scrutiny of the Reflecting Pool project, after five people were reportedly arrested over vandalism allegations connected to the site, including three-time Olympian David Hearn, who has denied causing any damage.

UNILAD has contacted the White House for comment.