Reality Defies Trump’s Narrative

<p>June 20, 2026</p><p>The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has become a metaphor for the Trump presidency, Trump claimed he would fix the reflecting pool for $1.8 million, When renovations were declared complete Trump claimed it was a triumph, But the cost was vastly over the budget, a no-bid contract had been awarded for the work, and the work immediately failed, 12 days after it was done, the epoxy from the bottom of the pool was peeling off, but the Interior Department claimed the White House didn’t know that the work had been contracted to a company that Trump originally said he had chosen, A former Olympic athlete, who stopped by the pool and put his hand in the water to feel the detached material, was arrested for destruction of government property, Trump had found someone to blame for his blunders, The reflecting pool is defying his narrative, as are Iran and Israel, Israel does not consider itself bound by the MOU signed by Trump, US Intelligence expects Netanyahu to continue striking Hezbollah, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again, J.C. Vance left for Switzerland for negotiations, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is refusing to go along with Trump’s narrative about her, showing how Trump’s power is crumbling, The National Guard is patrolling the area around the reflecting pool as Trump claims vandalism by additional people - although security cameras offer no proof of either vandalism or arrests. </p><p>Watch today's recording here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ-" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ-</a></p><p>Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: <a href="https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe" target="_blank">https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe</a></p><p>You can also find me:</p><p>Bluesky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social" target="_blank">https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social</a></p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en</a></p><p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/</a></p><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson</a></p> <br /><br />Get full access to Letters from an American at <a href="https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe</a>