Former President Donald Trump publicly expressed disagreement with U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro regarding the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, asserting the incident was "a pure case of VANDALISM." Trump shared his stance on Truth Social, stating, "I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool. I don’t know what she was thinking?"
His comments followed Pirro's office's request to a federal judge on Friday to dismiss felony destruction of property charges against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn. Hearn was accused of damaging the landmark on June 19 after allegedly pulling up a section of its protective lining, despite being instructed by a National Park Service employee to stop.
Trump also referenced a separate incident that occurred approximately one week prior, stating, "To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass, which had a big 86 47 emblazoned in giant letters on it, and other elements of the surrounding area." The numbers "86 47" were previously found etched into the grass near the Reflecting Pool, a phrase that has become a politically charged slogan among Trump supporters.
Pirro's office decided to drop the charges against Hearn after reviewing reports from the Department of the Interior. These reports indicated numerous flaws in the renovation project, including that the pool's new lining began peeling shortly after installation. "Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt," the motion to dismiss stated.
While acknowledging potential contractor issues, Trump rejected the Justice Department's conclusion that construction problems were the primary cause of the damage. "There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!" Trump wrote.
Hearn was indicted on July 2 on one felony count of destruction of property. Authorities initially estimated the damage exceeded $1,000. According to Pirro's office, the Department of the Interior initially provided limited reports and did not disclose documents showing the lining had failed soon after construction. "Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment," prosecutors wrote in their filing.
The filing further stated that only after the indictment was returned did the DOI provide additional documents indicating that the damage to the Reflecting Pool in June 2026 resulted from a flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings (AIC), and the rush to complete the project before the America 250 celebration events around Independence Day 2026. The case against Hearn was dismissed without prejudice, allowing for the possibility of refiling charges.
Court documents show AIC received a no-bid contract valued at over $14 million for the installation of the new lining across the Reflecting Pool's 68,000-square-foot floor. The project, which began in early May, experienced delays due to rain and complications with the pool's expansion joints, increasing pressure to finish before the July Fourth festivities.
Prosecutors noted that problems surfaced almost immediately after completion on June 9. A National Park Service engineer reported on June 11 that sections of the new lining were already peeling, expressing concern that "overspray" along the perimeter could lead to a vulnerable strip susceptible to peeling. The contractor reportedly did not confirm if this posed a risk.
Following the dismissal request, Hearn's legal team criticized the government's handling of the case, stating, "The Trump administration's case against Davey Hearn should never have been brought. Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology."