Trump highlights federal indictment in World War II Memorial vandalism case
Trump shares a report on the indictment of Melissa Farris, a Kentucky woman accused of spray-painting the World War II Memorial and filling its fountain with bubbles.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald Trump drew attention to the federal indictment of a Kentucky woman accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Here is the full post on truthsocial: “Woman is indicted over World War II Memorial vandalism incident: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/08/28/melissa-farris-suspect-wwii-memorial-vandalism-indicted-two-charges/” on September 1, 2026 at 9:40 PM ET.
This is Trump’s 36th message released today, and the last post was 10 minutes ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 39 of his 676 posts over the last 30 days classified as Legal posts.
Trump linked to the report by mentioning the source (see washingtonpost). A federal grand jury indicted Melissa Farris, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, on two felony counts, according to wbtv. Grand jurors returned the indictment Thursday on charges of destroying the veterans’ memorial and destroying government property, according to wbtv. Farris will be arraigned next week, according to independent.co.uk.
Farris is accused of spray painting the words “Clean hands dirty $” on the newly renovated landmark and filling a fountain with bubbles on Aug. 13, according to independent.co.uk. U.S. Park Police responded to the monument around 2 p.m. after a report of a disorderly person, and a witness told officers they saw a woman spray painting graffiti, according to independent.co.uk. An officer recognized her as someone police had arrested days earlier, on Aug. 10, for unlawfully camping on federal property a few blocks away, according to independent.co.uk.
President Donald J. Trump posed at WASHINGTON D.C.
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Prosecutors allege that Farris recorded multiple livestream videos on Aug. 13 and admitted to damaging the memorial, according to independent.co.uk. “I will wait here to be arrested for spraying our veterans’ fountain,” she said in a video, according to pbs. “It was me, I’m doing it, it’s on camera.”
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced the charges after Farris entered custody, describing the offenses as depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans’ memorials, according to The Guardian. The charges carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison, according to pbs. “Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom,” Pirro said in a post on X, according to theguardian.
The case followed public tension between Trump and Pirro over a separate dispute at the nearby Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Trump had blamed vandals for damage to the pool after a renovation he ordered, though the Justice Department later moved to dismiss charges against a former Olympian,David Hearn, saying evidence showed the damage came from botched repairs, according to wbtv. A judge ordered Farris released after her initial court appearance on Aug. 17, according to wbtv.
The Friends of the National World War II Memorial, a nonprofit that helps maintain the site, condemned the vandalism. “A national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should never be used as a canvas for vandalism,” the group said, according to pbs. The Veterans of Foreign Wars called the vandalism “an act of profound disrespect,” according to pbs.
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