- Farris has been charged with vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC, with graffiti and bubbles.
- Farris is expected to be arraigned on Friday, and the Public Defender’s Office said earlier in the day that she had not yet been assigned a lawyer.
- The charges come weeks after Pirro vandalism charges against several people accused of damaging the nearby Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- Trump responded by sharply criticizing Pirro and doubling down on his allegations of vandalism, saying, “I was disappointed with Jeanine Pirro, really disappointed with Jeanine Pirro. She folded like an umbrella,” and later wrote on Truth Social, “Our beautiful World War II Memorial was just hit by Spray Painting Vandals.”
- The decision to charge Farris has angered Trump and exposed a rift between the president and one of his political appointees.
A woman has been charged with vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., after allegedly filling its fountain with soap bubbles and painting the words “Clean hands dirty $” in red and green.1
The suspect, Melissa L. Farris, 41, faces two felony charges: depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans’ memorials. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, announced the charges, which carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison.567
Pirro condemned the act, stating, “Vandalising our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honouring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom.” She emphasized her personal connection, noting that her father and grandfather served in the military.
The incident occurred on Thursday, with Farris arrested the following day. Photographs shared by Pirro showed a woman with a spray-paint can near the graffiti.
This vandalism follows a recent controversy involving Trump, who criticized Pirro for her handling of vandalism charges related to the nearby Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. He expressed disappointment, stating, “She folded like an umbrella.” Trump had previously labeled the perpetrators of that incident as “animals.”4
Farris is expected to be arraigned soon, with the Public Defender’s Office indicating she has not yet been assigned legal representation.23
“Farris is expected to be arraigned on Friday, with the Public Defender's Office saying she has not yet been assigned a lawyer. The charges follow recent Pirro vandalism charges over the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which angered Trump and exposed a rift with his appointee.”
