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Trump criticizes prosecutor for dropping charges in Lincoln Memorial pool damage case
🇲🇽 Mexico /Crime & Justice

Trump criticizes prosecutor for dropping charges in Lincoln Memorial pool damage case

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • President Donald Trump criticized a federal prosecutor's decision to drop charges against former Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial's reflecting pool.
  • Trump believes the damage was caused by vandals, not a faulty installation, and disagrees with the prosecutor's assessment.
  • The prosecutor cited new documents suggesting installation issues, while Trump insists the damage was intentional and linked to construction problems.

President Donald Trump has publicly criticized a federal prosecutor he appointed for dropping charges against former Olympian David Hearn. Hearn had been accused of damaging the reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

I am 100% in disagreement with Janine Pirro... I don't know what she was thinking.

— Donald TrumpOn his social media platform, Truth Social, reacting to the prosecutor's decision.

Prosecutor Jeanine Pirro requested the charges be dropped, stating that the damage to the monument was "the result of a poorly executed installation and not vandalism." This decision followed the receipt of documents from the Department of the Interior, which reportedly indicated multiple problems with the pool's lining since its installation months prior. The project itself, estimated at $14 million, was awarded without a bidding process to a company that had previously worked on one of Trump's golf courses.

However, Trump strongly disagrees with Pirro's assessment. "I am 100% in disagreement with Janine Pirro... I don't know what she was thinking," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. He asserted that while there might have been issues with the contractor, the "greatest damage was caused by VANDALS." Trump's stance suggests he believes the damage was intentional, despite evidence pointing towards construction flaws.

There may have been some difficulties with the contractor, but the greatest damage was caused by VANDALS.

— Donald TrumpExpressing his belief about the cause of the damage to the reflecting pool.

Hearn, who competed in three Olympic Games in canoeing, had faced up to 10 years in prison. He told The Washington Post in June that he had merely reached into the water to retrieve a piece of floating lining and was arrested as he was leaving. The renovation of the reflecting pool, which had experienced issues with algae growth shortly after its completion in early June, was a project personally promoted by Trump. Reports indicate the project faced delays due to weather and technical difficulties, alongside pressure to finish before the July 4th celebrations.

The damage to the monument was the result of a poorly executed installation and not vandalism.

— Jeanine PirroStating the reason for requesting the withdrawal of charges against David Hearn.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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