- President Donald Trump is considering removing Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, after her office dropped Reflecting Pool-related vandalism charges, reportedly saying she "choked" and "folded like an umbrella."
- Unnamed sources said Trump was "furious" with Pirro and one said it is "highly likely she’s removed from her job"; a CNN-sourced senior administration official said Trump was "blindsided" by the court filing.
- On Monday, Trump refused to answer whether he would reconsider Pirro’s role, telling a reporter "You’re fake news. Don’t ever talk again," and separately said she "choked" and "folded like an umbrella."
- Pirro’s office sought dismissal of a felony vandalism charge against David Hearn, a 67-year-old ex-Olympic canoeist, because the Reflecting Pool’s damage "was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism."
- Trump doubled down on his vandalism claim, saying the administration has "photographs" and "tapes" showing people "cutting it with a box knife" and adding, "Jeanine Pirro made a mistake. It was vandalism."
- Trump rebuked Pirro on Truth Social, saying, "I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro ... I don’t know what she was thinking?" and called the damage "a pure case of VANDALISM."
- The court filing said the Department of the Interior only produced documents suggesting damage came from a "crushed and flawed installation" after Hearn’s indictment; had it been "forthcoming," the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment.
- The Reflecting Pool repairs have had "persistent algae and a peeling liner," an analysis found peeling in about seven places, costs reportedly ballooned from about $1.8 million to $16 million, and Senate Democrats raised "serious questions" about the project.
- Trump embraced Burgum’s account of Reflecting Pool vandalism, saying Pirro made a mistake and "folded like an umbrella" before an aggressive judge.
- Trump said he was "really disappointed" with Pirro and repeated that she "folded like an umbrella."
- Pirro’s office initially charged former U.S. Olympian David Hearn with felony destruction of property, but DOI later said documents showed the damage came from a botched installation; a National Park Service engineer had emailed concerns about peeling eight days before Hearn’s arrest.
- Burgum pushed back on X, saying vandals had repeatedly damaged the pool, some acts were caught on camera, and his department provided expert and eyewitness testimony to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
- Trump publicly turned on longtime supporter Pirro, writing on Truth Social: "I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro."
- Rep. Jared Huffman called the episode an "immutable pattern" and said Democrats would investigate the Reflecting Pool saga and no-bid contracts if they retake the House.
- The Reflecting Pool project has had peeling and algae problems, and the administration blamed "vandals"; Emily Thompson of the Coalition to Protect America’s Parks called it "incompetence and corruption."
- Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said he is unsure whether Trump truly believes the vandalism account and said Pirro "was smart to pull" the case back.
President Trump is reportedly furious with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after her office dismissed felony vandalism charges against David Hearn, a former Olympian, related to damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Trump criticized Pirro, stating she 'choked' and 'folded like an umbrella' in her decision.161415161718192223272829303132
In a dramatic reversal, Pirro's office claimed the damage was due to a 'botched installation' rather than vandalism, prompting Trump's ire. He expressed disappointment and stated, 'I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro... I don’t know what she was thinking.'
Unnamed sources revealed that Trump is considering removing Pirro from her position, with one source indicating it is 'highly likely' she will be dismissed. Trump has consistently maintained that the Reflecting Pool was damaged by vandals, asserting that his administration has evidence of such acts.
Governor Burgum has backed the vandalism narrative, stating, 'The evidence is clear, vandals have repeatedly caused damage to the Reflecting Pool.' He emphasized that his office provided expert testimony and evidence to support the claims of vandalism.2021
The Reflecting Pool project has faced scrutiny over its management, with costs ballooning from approximately $1.8 million to $16 million, raising questions about fiscal responsibility and project oversight. Critics, including Sen. John Kennedy, have expressed skepticism about the administration's claims regarding vandalism, suggesting a lack of transparency and competence in handling the situation.111213
Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s Parks, described the situation as a mix of 'incompetence and corruption,' highlighting the challenges in trusting the administration's narrative.
“Pirro's office dropped a felony vandalism charge against 67-year-old ex-Olympic canoeist David Hearn, saying the damage was a 'botched installation,' not vandalism. The Reflecting Pool renovation's cost reportedly ballooned from about $1.8 million to $16 million, while Senate Democrats raised 'serious questions' about the project.”
Forbes
