Crime

Home Crime

JD Vance Confirms DOJ Is Probing Squad Democrat For Immigration Fraud

1

Rep. Ilhan Omar may again face scrutiny from the Justice Department after Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that federal authorities are examining allegations tied to the Minnesota Democrat’s immigration history.

Speaking during a White House press briefing while filling in for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Vance was asked by Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese whether Omar could ultimately face an indictment.

“I don’t want to prejudge an investigation,” Vance said. “You read the things about Ilhan Omar, and about who she married, and whether she didn’t marry this person or that person. It certainly seems like something fishy is there. But everyone is entitled to equal justice under the laws.”

Vance added that the administration intends to review the matter and pursue legal action only if investigators determine a crime occurred.

“We’re going to investigate it, we’re going to take a look at it. If we think there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime, and that’s something that the Department of Justice is looking at right now,” he said.

The comments revive longstanding controversy surrounding Omar and allegations that she participated in an immigration-related scheme involving a former marriage. Omar has repeatedly denied those claims, and no public evidence has proven them.

According to reports cited by Fox News and The New York Times, the Justice Department under former President Joe Biden opened an investigation into Omar in 2024 that examined campaign expenditures, personal finances and alleged contacts with a non-U.S. citizen. However, individuals familiar with internal discussions reportedly said investigators did not uncover evidence warranting additional action, and the probe eventually stalled.

Vance had previously raised the issue publicly. During a March podcast appearance with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, he claimed he had discussed potential legal action involving Omar with White House immigration adviser Stephen Miller. (RELATED: Vance Says Administration Reviewing Action Against Rep. Ilhan Omar)

“We think Ilhan Omar definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America,” Vance said at the time.

Omar, who was born in Somalia, came to the United States with her family after they were granted asylum in 1995 and became a naturalized citizen in 2000.

The allegations center on Omar’s past relationships and claims from critics that she legally married a man named Ahmed Elmi in 2009 as part of an immigration arrangement. Omar has denied allegations that Elmi was her brother and has repeatedly dismissed the accusations as false and politically motivated.

In December, Omar pushed back against renewed criticism on social media, calling the allegations “bigoted lies” and accusing former President Donald Trump of repeatedly targeting her.

“He needs serious help,” Omar wrote at the time. “Since he has no economic policies to tout, he’s resorting to regurgitating bigoted lies instead.”

Vance reiterated Tuesday that investigators would ultimately follow the evidence.

“If we think that there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime,” he said.

This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. Republished with permission.

READ NEXT: โ€˜Having A Bad Dayโ€™: Circle K Clerk Sentenced For Killing Off-Duty Officer

Democrat Lawmaker Announces Resignation After Being Convicted on Felony Charges

2
Arrest image via Pixabay

Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell (D) said that she will resign after being convicted last week on two felony charges.

Nicole Mitchell was convicted of felony first-degree burglary and possession of burglary or theft tools for breaking into her stepmother Carol Mitchell’s Minnesota home in April 2024.

Nicole Mitchell pleaded not guilty, and during the trial, her defense argued that she was at the home to check on her stepmother, who lives with Alzheimer’s.

Nicole Mitchell’s stepmother Carol Mitchell reportedly took the stand, saying that she felt “extremely violated” after finding Nicole Mitchell in her home.

Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said Nicole Mitchell “has gotten the due process she is entitled to and was convicted by a jury of her peers.”

“With the clarity brought by the resolution of this case, the Senate DFL Caucus will continue to focus on issues that improve the lives of Minnesota families and communities,” Murphy said.

GOP Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson criticized her decision to not resign immediately and blamed Democrats for “refusing to hold her accountable during session.” His caucus tried and failed to expel Mitchell from the chamber in the wake of the charges.

“Senator Mitchell was convicted of two felonies; she doesn’t get to give the Senate two weeks’ notice. Democrats shielded Mitchell for 15 months to protect their political power, but a jury needed just three hours to confirm what was already clear: she shouldn’t be a senator,” he said in a statement.

Gov. Tim Walz’s office is expected to announce details about a special election after Nicole Mitchell’s resignation. There is another special election set for September to fill a vacancy left by former House Speaker Melissa Hortman’s politically-motivated assassination.

Steve Bannon Pleads Guilty To Defrauding MAGA Donors

2
Thor Brรธdreskift / Nordiske Mediedager, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Steve Bannon, the former chief strategist for the Trump White House, pleaded guilty to defrauding donors who thought they were giving money to help build a wall at the United Statesโ€™ southern border on Tuesday.

Bannonย had faced five felony counts and up to fifteen years in prison. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Bannon pled guilty to one count and received a three-year conditional discharge. He will face no jail time so long as he does not re-offend.

The longtime ally of Presidentย Donald Trumpย had previously faced federal charges pertaining to the same scheme. In an indictment unsealed in 2020, Bannon was accused of soliciting millions of dollars to build the wall and the funneling the money to himself and his associates.ย 

Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York at the time, said in a statement that Bannon and his co-conspirators had โ€œdefrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction.โ€

Bannon received a presidential pardon from Trump on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, the final full day of Trumpโ€™s first term in office. In 2022, the Manhattan district attorneyโ€™s office charged him over the same scheme.

Last month, Bannon openly declared war on billionaire businessman Elon Musk ahead of Trump’s second inauguration.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, as highlighted by Mediaite, Bannon sharply criticized Musk, who was tapped by Trump to co-lead the โ€œDepartment of Government Efficiency.โ€

โ€œI will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day,โ€ Bannon said. โ€œHe is a truly evil guy, a very bad guy. I made it my personal thing to take this guy down.โ€

Man Who Falsely Claimed To shoot Charlie Kirk Sentenced To Prison

0
Image via Pixabay

In a strikingly bizarre footnote to the tragic assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a Utah man who falsely claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting has now been sentenced and faces up to 15 years in prison.

Seventy-one-year-old George Hodgson Zinn โ€” who dramatically approached law enforcement at Utah Valley University, yelling โ€œI shot him โ€” now shoot meโ€ moments after Kirk was gunned down โ€” has now pleaded no contest to obstruction of justice and guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to court records.

While Zinnโ€™s initial false confession drew headlines and confusion during the chaotic aftermath of the shooting โ€” leading some to believe he was the shooter โ€” investigators quickly ruled him out as a suspect in Kirkโ€™s assassination.

During questioning at a hospital after the incident, Zinn shocked authorities by admitting he had child sexual abuse material on his phone. A warrant later uncovered more than 20 images depicting abused minors, and prosecutors charged him accordingly.

In Salt Lake County district court, Zinn was sentenced to zero to five years for obstruction and one to 15 years for each exploitation count, with the judge ordering the terms to run concurrently. The exact amount of time he will serve will be decided by the Utah parole board.


Remembering Charlie Kirk: A Conservative Voice Silenced

The backdrop to this strange prosecution is one of the most shocking episodes of political violence in recent U.S. history. On Sept. 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk โ€” founder and executive director of the conservative youth advocacy group Turning Point USA and a leading voice in the MAGA movement โ€” was assassinated by a sniper while speaking at an outdoor event on the Utah Valley University campus.

Kirk, just 31 years old, had become one of the most recognizable young conservative figures in America. He built Turning Point USA from a student organization into a powerful grassroots force shaping Republican campaigns, energizing young voters, and challenging campus liberal orthodoxy across the country.

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

His death prompted an outpouring of grief and outrage from Republican leaders and conservative grassroots activists, who saw the attack as not just a crime but part of a broader pattern of hostility toward conservatives. Thousands attended memorial events, and his legacy has become a rallying point in debates over political violence and free speech on college campuses and beyond.

The suspect in the shooting โ€” 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson โ€” was later arrested and charged with aggravated murder. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, underscoring the gravity of the crime and the national attention still focused on the case.


What This Means Going Forward

Zinnโ€™s sentencing closes one strange chapter in the unfolding story of the Kirk assassination, but it also highlights the turmoil that followed one of the most prominent conservative leaders of his generation. A man who tried โ€” for reasons still unclear โ€” to throw law enforcement off the trail of the real shooter now faces prison time for his own criminal behavior.

Report: Dan Bongino Quietly Clearing Out His Office in Preparation for FBI Exit

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is reportedly preparing to leave the Bureau in the coming weeks, fueling speculation that he may soon return to the conservative media landscape where he built a powerful national following. According to The New York Times, several individuals familiar with the situation say Bongino is already packing up his office and sending personal items back to Floridaโ€”an indication that an official announcement may be imminent.

These sources told the Times that Bongino could depart โ€œas soon as this week or as late as mid-January,โ€ though he has not yet publicly confirmed his plans. The former Secret Service agent and best-selling author was appointed to the FBI leadership team earlier this year by President Donald Trump, who tasked him with bringing greater transparency, accountability, and ideological clarity to an agency long accused by conservatives of political bias.

Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Conflicting Signals About Bonginoโ€™s Plans

Other reports offer mixed signals. Fox News Digital, citing its own sources, noted Monday that Bongino has โ€œnot made a final decisionโ€ and disputed claims that his office was already empty. However, Foxโ€™s sources did acknowledge that he is expected to clarify his future โ€œin the coming weeks.โ€

If Bongino does leave the Bureau, many expect him to reenter the conservative media sphere in time for the 2026 midterm elections, when Republican strategists anticipate a major national referendum on the direction of the country.

Potentially Strategic Timing for His Exit

According to the Times, Bongino has privately floated the idea of aligning his departure with a major law-enforcement developmentโ€”specifically a press conference connected to the long-running federal investigation into the pipe bombs planted near the DNC and RNC headquarters on January 5, 2021.

The incident, still unsolved after nearly four years, remains a source of public frustration. Conservatives argue the lack of progress underscores deep institutional failures at the FBIโ€”failures Bongino has long criticized both before and during his time at the agency.

Repairing Tensions With Attorney General Pam Bondi

Behind the scenes, Bongino is also said to be smoothing tensions with Attorney General Pam Bondi, whom he sharply criticized earlier this year. In July, Bondiโ€™s office released a memo stating that the much-discussed โ€œEpstein client listโ€ did not exist, contradicting years of speculation amplified in part through Bonginoโ€™s own podcast prior to his government service.

The Times reports that Bongino was so dissatisfied with Bondiโ€™s handling of that matter that he threatened to resign at the time. Since then, he has reportedly worked to repair the relationshipโ€”an indication that he may be trying to ensure a clean exit from the Bureau, should he choose to move on.

Broader Political Context

Bonginoโ€™s potential departure comes at a pivotal moment for federal law enforcement. Republicans continue to push for sweeping reforms at the FBI, citing concerns about political motivations behind high-profile investigations dating back to the Russia probe. Bongino, viewed by many grassroots conservatives as a no-nonsense reformer, entered the FBI leadership at a time when trust in federal agencies has been sharply divided along partisan lines.

A return to broadcasting would position him once again as one of the most influential voices in conservative politicsโ€”a role he previously used to energize Republican voters, challenge media narratives, and champion pro-Trump policy priorities.

For now, the timeline remains unclear. But by all accounts, Bonginoโ€™s next moveโ€”whether announced this week or early in the new yearโ€”will be closely watched

Police Arrest Would-Be Assassin Targeting Trump Cabinet Officials

11
Arrest image via Pixabay

Capitol police have arrested a Massachusetts man who allegedly traveled to Washington, D.C. armed with Molotov cocktails and a knife to kill newly-confirmed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Ryan Michael โ€œReilyโ€ English, who turned himself in to U.S. Capitol Police at 3:12 p.m. ET Monday, said he traveled to Washington, D.C., initially planning to kill Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., a police affidavit revealed.

By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America – Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

But English shifted his target to Bessent after stopping at a library in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and reading that the Senate was voting Monday on his nomination as President Donald Trumpโ€™s Treasury chief, the document said.

CNBC reported English contemplated throwing the Molotov cocktails at Bessentโ€™s feet, according to the affidavit, which was filed in Washington, D.C., federal court. And if he were able to get close enough, English said, he would have stabbed Bessent with a knife.

Bessentโ€™s nomination was confirmed about three hours after Englishโ€™s arrest. President Trumpโ€™s Cabinet nominee received bipartisan backing and was confirmed Tuesday with a 77-22 vote.

English has been charged with unlawful receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm, as well as carrying a firearm, explosive or incendiary device on Capitol grounds.

The affidavit said English approached an officer at the south door of the Capitol and said, โ€œIโ€™d like to turn myself in.โ€ English told the officer that he was carrying weapons, including two Molotov cocktails.

Two officers detained and searched English, finding two devices constructed of 50-milliliter vodka bottles with gray cloth affixed to their tops. They also found a folding knife and a lighter, according to the court documents.

He said he was at the Capitol to โ€œkill Scott Bessent,โ€ the affidavit said.

Police said they searched the vehicle and found a 750-milliliter bottle of 100-proof vodka and a gray sweatshirt with cloth cut off the sleeves.

Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Before transporting English into custody, police said they found a receipt in his pocket with a note written on the back of a receipt:

โ€œJudith dear god I am so sorry. You must understand I can feel myself dying slowly b/c of my heart. This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters,โ€ the note read, according to the affidavit.

โ€œI love you. This is awful. Im so sorry. I love u. Please stay alive and heal. you can. you are strong enough. [F—] them for pushing us so far. you dont deserve this. Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying. Please survive [7 hearts],โ€ it read.

In addition to his initial intention of killing Hegseth or Johnson, English told police he considered burning down the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

English said that he surveilled the Capitol grounds and figured he would have to kill at least three police officers in order to get to Bessent. English โ€œexpressed acceptance and content with the possibility of suicide by cop,โ€ the affidavit said.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Democrat Senator Warns Trump Planning a โ€˜Coordinated Effort to Try to Interfereโ€™ in the Midterms

2
Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is raising concerns about what he claims could be an effort by President Donald Trump and his allies to influence the 2026 midterm elections.

Speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday, Warner suggested that Trumpโ€™s recent comments about Republicans needing to โ€œtake overโ€ elections from the states could signal broader plans to challenge state-run election systems.

โ€œIt appears there may be a coordinated effort to try to interfere in the โ€˜26 midterms,โ€ Warner said. He added that he is concerned, โ€œThey may even start to interfere in the primaries.โ€

Watch:

Trump and many Republicans have argued for years that election administration should be strengthened through tighter oversight and more uniform standards, particularly after disputes over voting procedures in 2020. Democrats, however, have increasingly framed these efforts as threats to democracy.

Warner Criticizes Tulsi Gabbardโ€™s Role in Georgia Investigation

Warner also expressed anger over Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbardโ€™s reported involvement in a federal raid in Fulton County, Georgia, where officials seized ballots and voter information as part of an investigation.

While details surrounding the raid remain unclear, Warner compared the situation to Watergate-era abuses of power โ€” an analogy Democrats have frequently used in recent years when criticizing Trump.

In a clip posted to social media, Warner said:

โ€œThe Nixon era is back. What do I mean? Richard Nixon is most infamously known for Watergate, where he intervened in a domestic political effort under the guise of the Watergate break-in. He knew what was going on before the fact. Well, it appears the same is true.โ€

Warner claimed testimony suggested Gabbard traveled to Atlanta because Trump personally asked her to.

โ€œIt appears the same is true. We got testimony yesterday that Tulsi Gabbard was down in Atlanta for that crazy raid on the voting machines because Trump asked her to go.โ€

Warner then questioned how Trump would have known about the investigation ahead of time:

โ€œWell, how the hell did Trump know there was about to be a warrant issued in a lame criminal investigation before the act took place? How did he let Gabbard know to go there?โ€

He also criticized reports that Trump spoke directly with FBI agents involved in the case:

โ€œThis is not how American justice should work. When, when, when will any of my Republican colleagues find a spine?โ€

Democrats Claim Raid May Have Been Improper

In another clip posted Wednesday, Warner suggested the FBI raid itself may have been unlawful, pointing to leadership changes under FBI Director Kash Patel.

โ€œWe have seen Kash Patel basically decimate the leadership of the FBI to the point that that raidโ€ฆ the FBI agent in charge of that office got fired because I donโ€™t believe he felt this was legal.โ€

Warner also argued that Gabbard, as DNI, should not have been involved in what he called a โ€œdomestic criminal investigation.โ€

โ€œThe director of national intelligence, who showed up at that domestic criminal investigation where she had no right to be thereโ€ฆโ€

He continued by questioning whether anyone in the administration attempted to stop Trump from contacting agents directly:

โ€œI know Trump doesnโ€™t know the law, but wasnโ€™t there anybody in the White House Counsel that said, โ€˜Mr. President, you shouldnโ€™t be talking to FBI agentsโ€ฆโ€™โ€

Warner concluded with a sharp personal attack on Gabbard:

โ€œThis is a guy thatโ€™s being enhanced by a rogue DNI whoโ€™s way over her skis in terms of knowledge or competency.โ€

Political Stakes Rising as 2026 Approaches

Warnerโ€™s comments come as Democrats increasingly warn of authoritarianism and election manipulation, themes expected to dominate campaign messaging heading into 2026.

Republicans, meanwhile, have argued that ensuring election integrity โ€” including investigating irregularities and enforcing stricter standards โ€” is a legitimate government responsibility, not โ€œinterference.โ€

Jack Smith Claims He Has โ€˜Proof’ Trump Tried To Overturn 2020 Election

8
Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A stunning claim…

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith claimed in closed-door congressional testimony on Wednesday that investigators had proof โ€œbeyond a reasonable doubtโ€ that Presidentย Donald Trumpย โ€œcriminallyโ€ conspired to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Smithย made the remarks in his opening statement to lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

โ€œI made my decisions in the investigation without regard to President Trumpโ€™s political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy in the 2024 election,โ€ Smith said in his opening statement, which was obtained in advance by the Associated Press. โ€œWe took actions based on what the facts and the law required โ€” the very lesson I learned early in my career as a prosecutor.

Smith added that his probe had โ€œdeveloped powerful evidence that showed President Trump willfully retained highly classified documents after he left office in January 2021, storing them at his social club, including in a bathroom and a ballroom where events and gatherings took place.โ€

Smithโ€™s investigation, which began in 2022, focused on Trumpโ€™s alleged effort to overturn his 2020 election loss, as well as the classified documents that were stored at Mar-a-Lago.

Charges were filed in both investigations, but later droppedย due to the longstanding DOJ policy against the indictment of a sitting president.

President Trump has yet to comment on Smith’s bold accusation.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Report: FBI Apprehends Suspects In Alleged Assassination Attempt

0
Jsg2020, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Will the threats of political violence come to an end?

FBIย agents inย Michiganย have arrested two individuals charged with making violent threats, including one man suspected of hinting at an assassination plot targeting President-electย Donald Trump. The charges, revealed on Tuesday, come just days before theย 2024 presidential electionย and underscore an increase in threats against public officials across the country.

The Detroit Free Press explains:

One of the defendants allegedly called Trump a โ€œpiece of sโ€”โ€ and threatened to shoot up conservative Christians if Trump wins; the other allegedly called Harris a โ€œf โ€”โ€” communist piece of sโ€”โ€ and threatened violence on an unnamed PAC involved in the presidential campaign, telling the group, โ€œIโ€™m your worst fโ€”โ€” nightmare.โ€

According to criminal documents filed in federal court, here are the two Michigan men who landed on the FBIโ€™s radar in recent months over threatening comments targeting both campaigns, candidates and their supporters:

The most recent arrest involves Isaac Sissel, 25, a transient Ann Arbor man who allegedly threatened to shoot conservative Christians with an AR-15 should Trump win the election. The FBI arrested him Tuesday, but said it did not find any weapons on him when agents found him in a Travelodge motel room on Monday in Canton Township, according to the criminal complaint.

In an FBI affidavit on file in court, Sissel is described as a transient individual with no known home address who claimed to have hidden out on the University of Michigan campus and slept near a rehab clinic.

According to court documents, one of the suspects allegedly sent a message threatening violence should Trump secure an election victory. The message, cited by The Detroit News, reportedly contained plans to attack โ€œconservative Christian filthโ€ and referenced a stolen AR-15 rifle. The individual claimed to have hollow-point bullets and a chemical irritant, suggesting that the planned attackโ€™s execution and the concealment of weapons would complicate FBI intervention.

This case highlights the FBIโ€™s intensified response to rising security risks in a polarized political climate, where threats against public figures have become an acute concern for federal and local authorities.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

Court Filing Says Reflecting Pool Liner Was Cut With Knife or Razor โ€” Vindicating Trump After Media Mockery

0
Reflecting Pool

President Donald Trump wasn’t imagining it after all.

After days of media ridicule and accusations that the administration was trying to blame construction failures for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s problems, a senior National Park Service official has now sworn under oath that someone cut the pool’s liner with a “sharp knife or razor.”

The explosive court filing appears to validate Trump’s repeated claims that the newly renovated Reflecting Pool was deliberately sabotaged by vandalsโ€”not simply falling apart because of faulty workmanship, as many critics insisted.

According to National Park Service Deputy Director Frank Lands, the agency reported the damage to U.S. Park Police on June 9, shortly after the $16 million rehabilitation project was substantially completed.

“The caulk over the foam sealant was cut with a sharp knife or razor,” Lands declared in the filing, adding that roughly 70 fence-post tops were also thrown into the Reflecting Pool.

That’s a far cry from the “there’s no evidence” narrative many outlets pushed when Trump first warned that vandals had attacked the iconic landmark.

Trump Took Heat โ€” Now Comes the Evidence

Earlier this week, Trump told reporters he had personally seen what he described as a massive cut through the pool’s protective surface and promised Americans the evidence would eventually emerge in court.

It just did.

The White House blasted what it called “Fake News hacks” and self-described experts for rushing to dismiss the president’s claims while ignoring an active federal investigation.

According to the administration, surveillance footage captured suspects damaging the site, police documented slashes through the pool liner and protective coating, and multiple suspects have already been arrested or cited.

The White House says:

  • Seven people have been arrested.
  • Seven others received federal citations.
  • Eighteen police reports have been filed.
  • Surveillance video allegedly captured suspects damaging the pool.

Those figures are higher than earlier public numbers released by Park Police as the investigation has continued.

Not All Questions Are Settled

The new filing confirms that portions of the liner and sealant were intentionally cutโ€”but it does not establish that those cuts caused all of the renovation’s highly publicized problems, including peeling coating or the massive algae bloom that turned the pool green just days after reopening.

Some engineering documents previously reported by major news outlets suggested the cuts discovered in expansion joints may not fully explain the widespread coating failure, meaning investigators are still sorting out exactly what damage was caused by vandalism versus what may have resulted from construction or environmental factors.

Still, Thursday’s filing marks the first sworn government statement confirming deliberate damage with a blade.

A Symbolic Target

The Reflecting Pool has become one of the Trump administration’s signature beautification projects ahead of America’s 250th birthday celebration next year.

The renovation included draining the century-old pool, applying a new waterproof coating, repainting the basin in what Trump called an “American flag blue,” and installing advanced water-treatment systems designed to eliminate algae.

When the project quickly ran into trouble, critics mocked it as an embarrassing failure.

The White House argues those critics ignored what investigators were finding.

“Crazed and deranged lunatics have once again exposed their hatred for America with a cowardly, deliberate attack on one of our nation’s most iconic landmarks,” the administration declared Thursday.

Officials say advanced nanobubble ozone technology has already neutralized much of the algae while crews prepare permanent repairs after the Independence Day celebrations.