Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the algae in the Reflecting Pool was “in the pipes” and is now all gone despite President Donald Trump’s insistence that vandals had introduced the organisms to the pool.

Appearing on CNN the day after the U.S. celebrated its 250th birthday, the conversation quickly switched to drama around the Reflecting Pool after a single question about fireworks, to Burgum’s chagrin. When asked by host Dana Bash what went wrong, the interior secretary touted the progress that had been made.