Donald Trump has acknowledged a "contractor error" during renovation work on the National Mall's Reflecting Pool, amid a wider row involving a former Olympic athlete who is threatening to sue him over alleged harassment. The admission comes as the president faces scrutiny over infrastructure works being carried out around Washington DC landmarks, adding another awkward headline to a week already dominated by controversy surrounding his administration.

The dispute has escalated after the ex-Olympian accused Trump of harassment and warned of possible legal action, though specific details of the underlying incident were not fully outlined. Trump's response focused on shifting blame to contractors for the renovation mishap rather than addressing the harassment allegations directly, leaving questions about both the scope of the Reflecting Pool works and the potential legal fallout unresolved.