- On Sunday evening, Trump again insisted that ex-Olympian David Hearn 'violently' damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, citing a 'highly credible witness' from the National Park Service.
- The Department of Justice admitted that damage to the Reflecting Pool was caused by a contractor's 'flawed' installation, not by vandals.
- A judge officially tossed felony charges against Hearn on Thursday.
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro brought a crate of evidence to the Oval Office to explain to Trump why the claims of vandalism were not true.
- Trump claimed that the government had photographic and video evidence of multiple vandals, despite the DOJ's findings.
- Representative Jamie Raskin will formally request documents from the Justice and Interior Departments regarding the charging decisions in this case.
- The government stated that its witness could not identify any additional cost caused by Hearn's alleged conduct.
- Trump admitted that there was 'some contractor error' due to rushing the job for a July 4th opening.
- Trump has faced criticism for his claims, with reports indicating that there is no video or proof of vandalism, other than the damage itself.
Former President Donald Trump has once again claimed that ex-Olympian David Hearn 'violently' vandalized the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, citing a National Park Service witness. Trump stated on Truth Social that the witness observed Hearn 'violently ripping and tugging' at the pool's coating.12
However, the Department of Justice has debunked these claims, revealing that the damage was due to a contractor's 'flawed' installation rather than vandalism. A judge recently dismissed felony charges against Hearn, which were based on Trump's allegations. The DOJ noted that the witness could not identify any additional costs caused by Hearn's actions, nor did they suggest that the alleged conduct compromised the pool's liner.38
Despite the lack of evidence, Trump continues to assert that there is a 'highly credible witness' who testified to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He also admitted that there were 'some contractor errors' due to rushed work for a July 4th opening, but downplayed their significance as 'relatively inconsequential.'
Trump criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping the case, claiming she 'folded like an umbrella.' Meanwhile, Hearn seeks to have his case dismissed with prejudice to prevent further harassment, emphasizing the lack of evidence against him.5
As the controversy unfolds, Representative Jamie Raskin has called for the Justice and Interior Departments to release documents related to the charging decisions in this case.7
“Trump admitted there was 'some contractor error' from rushing the July 4th opening, calling it 'relatively inconsequential.' Rep. Jamie Raskin will formally request documents from the Justice and Interior Departments over the charging decisions.”
The New Republic
TMZ
