President Donald Trump criticized ABC News on Monday night over what he called its "Fake News" reporting about damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Trump took to Truth Social to explain repair work at the iconic Washington landmark, insisting the work was necessary because of vandalism — not the issues highlighted by ABC News.

"We drained the beautiful 'Reflecting Pool' today in order to fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals two weeks ago," Trump wrote, saying the pool's waterproof liner had been slashed for roughly 300 yards and pulled upward "with great force" by "thugs."

Trump said the National Park Service had to empty the pool to repair the damaged basin and vowed it would soon be returned to service.

In a second post, the president blasted ABC's reporting that linked the latest draining to peeling paint and algae blooms.

"ABC Fake News and its shaky anchor, David Muir, said that the Reflecting Pool was drained to address Peeling Paint (there is no paint, it was slashed with a knife, or box cutter, high grade colored waterproofing liner - it was VANDALISM!) and Algae Blooms (also caused by Vandals, but removed long ago!)," Trump wrote.

"In other words, the story was FAKE NEWS, but heavily slanted away from the real cause of the problem, Vandalism."

Trump also touted his administration's broader restoration effort in the nation's capital, saying 60 monuments and fountains had been cleaned and renovated while declaring Washington "has never looked better, or been safer."

The president's comments came after media outlets reported Friday that crews were once again draining the Reflecting Pool after problems surfaced following Trump's renovation project.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told conservative podcaster Katie Miller that the latest draining had been planned to remove debris from the July Fourth celebration and repair damage from vandalism before refilling the pool.

Court records show the National Park Service reported that a sharp knife or razor cut the pool's new liner during a June 9 vandalism incident.

Several people have since been charged with allegedly damaging the Reflecting Pool, though all have pleaded not guilty.

Trump has made restoring Washington landmarks a centerpiece of his effort to beautify the nation's capital ahead of America's 250th anniversary celebrations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.