Trump administration moves to drop charges against athlete David Hearn in Reflecting Pool case

The Trump administration has made a significant reversal in the case against former Olympic athlete David Hearn, seeking to dismiss charges that he vandalized the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In a filing on Friday, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that the accusations against Hearn did not appear to be substantiated.

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The damage was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism, as initially represented by [the Department of the Interior].

Pirro explained that the damage was the result of a "botched installation" by the contractor, not vandalism as initially claimed by the Department of the Interior. She noted that her office received "barebones police reports" and did not receive additional documents indicating the flawed installation until after Hearn's indictment.

The prosecutor also pointed to the "rush to complete the project" before the Independence Day holiday, which marked the US's 250th anniversary, as a reason for the renovation's failure. Trump had planned events for the occasion, and the pressure to finish led to "hasty and botched work."

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It was not until after the return of the indictment, that the DOI provided additional documents to the [US Attorney’s Office for Washington, DC] indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor.

The Reflecting Pool project is part of broader changes Trump has pursued in Washington, DC, during his term, including renovations to the White House and proposals for a triumphal arch. This week also saw the unveiling of a $22.5 billion project to revamp Dulles International Airport.

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The rush to complete the project led to hasty and botched work that was not remediated before the project was finished and the fencing removed.