President Donald Trump publicly rebuked U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro on Saturday after her office moved to dismiss criminal charges against former Olympian David Hearn, who'd been accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool following a rushed $14.7 million renovation.
Pirro's office filed a 20-page motion Friday arguing that newly discovered evidence shows the pool damage resulted from botched contractor work and a compressed timeline ahead of last month's America 250 celebration, not deliberate vandalism. The dismissal marks a rare public split between Trump and one of his appointees, and represents an embarrassing reversal for a Justice Department that had touted the prosecution as accountability for damage at a presidential pet project.
The Contractor Debacle
Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings received a $14.7 million no-bid contract in May to repaint and waterproof the pool's concrete floor. Trump directed that the bottom be painted with what he called "American flag blue." Problems emerged within days of completion. Chunks of the new liner peeled off across the pool's surface.
Government lawyers now say additional Interior Department documents reveal the damage stemmed from "a botched installation by a contractor" and "the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026." A recent visual inspection found damage throughout the pool, including in the middle where prosecutors conceded a vandal wouldn't likely have attempted to peel the lining.
Trump Stands Firm
The president acknowledged in a social media post that there "may have been some contractor difficulty" but insisted "the major damage was caused by VANDALS!" He added: "I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool." Trump on Saturday posted a nearly four-minute security camera video showing three individuals with their hands in the pool. He claimed the footage shows "material is being cut with a knife or a box cutter, for all to see!" The video, shot from some distance, doesn't clearly show vandalism occurring. Workers standing nearby didn't appear to notice anything amiss.
Blame Game Intensifies
Pirro's filing blamed the Interior Department for providing "less than fulsome information at the outset of the case." Had "DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment," the filing stated. That's a jarring reversal from Pirro, who claimed the government's case was built on "tremendous evidence" when she announced Hearn's indictment last month.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum pushed back on X, claiming some vandalism acts were captured on video. "We also provided the U.S. Attorney's office expert and eyewitness testimony to the damage done by vandals and provided every piece of evidence they asked for in the requested time line detailing each area of damage at the pool," Burgum wrote.
Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, was accused of pulling up a two-foot square piece of the pool's lining. His legal team on Saturday criticized both Trump and Pirro, saying they're weighing "legal remedies" on behalf of their client. "Trump is mad at Pirro because she finally admitted what we made clear in our legal filings all along: Trump's botched renovation was responsible for the damage — not Davey Hearn," the team said in a statement. They called Pirro's claim that her office was duped by Interior "nonsense," noting their motions "repeatedly proved that the administration was to blame for the Reflecting Pool failures, not Davey."
The National Park Service reported to U.S. Park Police a June 9 incident claiming a sharp knife or razor cut the pool's new liner. The Reflecting Pool work is one of several Trump projects across the nation's capital. Most prominently, he demolished the White House's East Wing to build a $400 million ballroom and plans to build a towering arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. Atlantic Industrial Coatings didn't respond to requests for comment.
Why This Matters:
This case highlights the risks of rushed government projects and no-bid contracting. A $14.7 million contract awarded without competitive bidding produced work that failed within days, yet taxpayers now face both the cost of flawed construction and a collapsed prosecution. The public dispute between Trump and his own U.S. Attorney raises questions about prosecutorial independence and whether political pressure drove an indictment before facts were fully established. Hearn's legal team is considering legal action, which could expose taxpayers to additional liability. The contractor's silence and lack of accountability for demonstrably faulty work underscores the need for rigorous oversight when public funds finance high-profile projects. Whether the damage was vandalism or contractor negligence, the episode reveals how government haste and poor vetting can waste millions while undermining public trust in both infrastructure projects and the justice system.