President Donald Trump has publicly criticized his own Justice Department after it dropped criminal charges against a former Olympic athlete linked to an incident at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.
In remarks on Saturday, Trump voiced opposition to the decision, a day after U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the withdrawal of charges against David Hearn, 67, a rower who represented the United States at three Olympics.
In court filings on Friday, Pirro said the damage to the pool was caused by "faulty installation, not vandalism," contradicting her earlier statements and the allegations made after Hearn's arrest on June 19.
On Truth Social on Saturday, Trump wrote that he disagrees "100%" with Pirro, without directly naming Hearn. He maintained that vandalism had occurred at the reflecting pool.
"To me, this is a textbook case of VANDALISM," Trump wrote. "There may have been some difficulties with the contractor, but the primary damage was caused by vandals!"
Trump also posted a video showing a person, not Hearn, dipping a hand into the reflecting pool. He additionally shared a photo of the numbers "86 47" etched into nearby grass, interpreted as a call to "terminate" the 47th presidency, though no evidence links those numbers to the pool.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has become a political flashpoint under Trump, who has pushed controversial renovation projects to reshape Washington, D.C., including relining the pool's floor. He has criticized previous administrations for the pool's deterioration, but his own project drew scrutiny when it was awarded to a company with no prior government contracts, selected without competitive bidding.
Soon after completion, the pool's new liner quickly peeled, and algae blooms appeared in early June. Trump repeatedly blamed "vandals." The announcement of at least seven arrests related to the pool has sparked accusations of scapegoating suspects politically.
Hearn, who was accused by Pirro — a former Fox News host and Trump supporter — of "forcefully and violently" tearing the pool liner, insists he simply stopped his bike, reached in, and felt the peeling adhesive. His lawyers called the arrest an attempt to distract from poor workmanship.
In the new filing, Pirro said the Interior Department provided additional documents proving the damage was due to "faulty installation." She also blamed pressure to complete the project before July 4, the 250th anniversary of American independence, leading to hasty work that was not remedied before barriers were removed.
