- Federal prosecutors requested a judge to drop the case against David Hearn, citing a rushed and flawed installation by the contractor as the cause of the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- Trump publicly disagreed with his own Justice Department's findings, insisting that the damage was 'a pure case of VANDALISM.'
- Trump's renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, costing between $1.5 million and $2 million, was initiated after a friend's complaint about the pool's dirty water.
- The renovated pool quickly developed algae blooms and its blue liner began to peel, leading Trump to blame vandals for the damage.
- David Hearn, a former Olympian, was arrested and charged with property destruction related to the pool, but he pleaded not guilty.
President Donald Trump has publicly disagreed with his own Justice Department's findings regarding the Reflecting Pool's damage, which federal prosecutors attributed to a flawed installation rather than vandalism. In a court filing, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Spence requested to drop the case against David Hearn, a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the pool.1238
The Reflecting Pool, recently renovated at a cost of $14.7 million, has faced ongoing issues, including algae blooms and peeling lining. Trump, however, insists that the damage was a 'pure case of VANDALISM', despite evidence suggesting otherwise. He stated, "I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro... To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM."67
Federal prosecutors noted that documents from the Department of the Interior revealed a 'rushed and flawed installation process', leading to extensive damage. They indicated that the damage was not due to vandalism but rather a 'botched installation' by contractors.
Trump has maintained that the damage was caused by vandals, sharing a video on social media that he claims shows vandalism occurring at the site. He stated, "Look for yourselves at the VANDALISM that took place at The Reflecting Pool." Hearn, who faces a 10-year prison sentence if convicted, has pleaded not guilty.
As the case unfolds, the Reflecting Pool remains unfinished, with costs continuing to rise and legal challenges looming over the renovation efforts.
“Prosecutors said in a 20-page filing that a rush to finish before America 250 produced 'a rushed and flawed installation process' by the contractor, and that they learned of it only after Interior documents arrived. Hearn's lawyers say the government 'owes Mr Hearn an apology' as the $14.7 million renovation remains unfinished.”
The Guardian
