The president said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s decision to drop the case was ‘hastily made.’
President Donald Trump urged U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro on Friday to reconsider her decision to drop a case of alleged vandalism to the newly refurbished Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Trump said in a Truth Social post that Pirro’s decision was “hastily made” and referenced freelance photographer Andrew Leyden’s photos of the national monument that appeared to show large cuts on the side of the Reflecting Pool’s liner, which was previously blocked by fencing.
Court documents showed that the damage was thought to be a result of a flawed $14.7 million installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings.
Trump maintained that he believed it to be the work of vandals.
“Now that people are able to see it up close, they are reporting pure VANDALISM,” Trump said in his Friday Truth Social post. “People were on their knees with their hands in the water at the exact location of the ‘slashes.’”
The president stated there was video surveillance showing people making cuts into the monument—for 300 feet or more. He also said there were witnesses.
Trump criticized in his Truth Social post former Olympian David Hearn, who was charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) with deliberately vandalizing the Reflecting Pool prior to the United States’ 250th celebration last month, noting Hearn’s support for ActBlue, a Democratic political fundraising platform. Trump also took aim at Hearn’s attorney, Norm Eisen, whom he called a “Political Hack Lawyer.”
“I have been beating Eisen, a complete LUNATIC, in Court for 10 years, or more. He just keeps coming, but I always WIN!” the president said.
After the DOJ dropped its case against Hearn on July 31, Trump accused Pirro of folding “like an umbrella.” A judge dismissed the case about a week later.
The agency’s decision was made in light of Department of Interior documents provided to the court showing the damage could be a result of a flawed installation.
According to the filings, the work was done with flaws in “the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.”
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated earlier that month that the pool had to be drained due to the thousands of dollars in damage caused by vandals.
A defense expert, Pirro, and DOJ staffers inspected the pool on July 17, after it was drained to fix the damage, and “immediately noted extensive damage.”
A deeper look into installation documents showed repeated failures of the monument’s lining during the renovation process, according to court documents.
“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,” Pirro said in the 20-page filing to drop the charges against Hearn.
Hearn and his lawyer said the case should have never been brought.
Cases against three other individuals accused of vandalizing the monument were also dismissed after Pirro asked the judges to throw out the charges.
Trump said earlier this week that the pool will be fixed and reopened in the coming weeks.
It’s unclear whether Pirro will reopen cases against any individuals previously charged with vandalism at the Reflecting Pool.
The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
By Troy Myers
