Former Olympian David Hearn, 62, has been indicted by a grand jury following his arrest last month at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Hearn was taken into custody after allegedly reaching into the pool's waters, an incident that occurred amidst President Donald Trump's strong condemnation of vandalism at the site.
Hearn's attorney stated they were unaware of any developments beyond a previous citation for misdemeanor charges. The incident occurred shortly after the pool's completion of a $16 million renovation project, which President Trump had championed. He later took to Truth Social to decry what he termed "liberal vandals" and threatened "years in jail" for those damaging the monument, citing a peeling "American flag blue" paint job.
Hearn has denied any wrongdoing, characterizing his arrest and the charges as a "farce" intended to promote a false narrative. He admitted to touching what he described as a "loose flap of coating," asserting he did so out of curiosity as a "concerned citizen" and not with intent to damage. He shared a photograph of the peeling paint, taken shortly before his arrest, as evidence of the pool's condition.
The renovations, completed on June 6, saw the paint begin to peel and algae blooms appear in the water less than two weeks later. President Trump acknowledged the issue, suggesting the pool might need to be drained for repairs. He claimed protesters were using "corrosive and destructive chemicals" and knives to inflict damage.
The Department of the Interior, overseeing the project, stated that "nanobubbler technology" had been installed to address algae buildup. The department also confirmed the use of hydrogen peroxide for treatment, asserting no harmful environmental side effects. Critics have pointed to the rapid deterioration of the paint and algae growth as issues that arose despite recent extensive work.
The Reflecting Pool has presented maintenance challenges for previous administrations. The Obama administration invested over $35 million in repairs, only for similar issues to resurface within a month. The Trump administration's renovation project, initially estimated at $2 million and projected to take a week, ultimately cost $14 million and took two months. The contract for the pool lining was awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coating, a company President Trump stated he personally selected after their work on a pool at his Virginia golf club, though he later reportedly stated he did not know the contractor. The company clarified that they were contracted for the pool lining to ensure it was watertight and had no involvement with the water treatment.
Amidst the controversy, National Park Service workers were observed using vacuum pumps to clean algae from the pool. The White House had previously shared images of the pool appearing clear and blue, but the algae reappeared shortly thereafter. Individuals familiar with the project expressed concerns that the renovation may not have addressed underlying issues, such as leaking pipes.