Trump Disputes U.S. Attorney’s Findings on Reflecting Pool Damage

President Donald Trump criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s dismissal of criminal charges against former Olympian David Hearn regarding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool damage. Pirro contended the damage stemmed from poor construction rather than vandalism, as Trump claimed.

Pirro’s office moved to drop charges against Hearn, accused of damaging the pool after a renovation for the nation’s 250th birthday celebration. In a social media post, Trump acknowledged contractor issues with the pool’s new liner but insisted on vandalism as the primary cause.

He expressed complete disagreement with Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, asserting the setback was embarrassing for the Justice Department. They had previously supported Trump’s claims and promoted the prosecution as accountability for damage to a Washington landmark.

“I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool,” Trump stated.

The government provided new Interior Department documents indicating the damage resulted from a rushed installation, compounded by the urgency of the America 250 celebration. A recent inspection uncovered damage across the pool, including the center, an unlikely spot for vandalism.

Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, had been accused of removing a two-foot square section of the pool lining. Pirro’s filing suggested a lack of evidence to definitively attribute damage to vandalism.

Trump posted a video allegedly showing vandalism, with individuals appearing to interact with the pool’s lining. The footage, distant and unclear, shows workers nearby seemingly oblivious to the actions.

In May, Trump initiated plans to revamp the Reflecting Pool, directing a new lining painted “American flag blue.” However, issues surfaced shortly after completion, with peeling liner segments. Blame was directed at vandals, with a National Park Service report claiming a June 9 incident where the new liner was cut with a sharp tool.

This project is among several Trump-led initiatives in Washington, including demolishing the White House East Wing for a $400 million ballroom and planning a large arch near the Lincoln Memorial.