Trump says U.S. attorney ‘choked’ by dropping Reflecting Pool vandal case

President Donald Trump publicly rebuked U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, accusing her of "choking" and "folding like an umbrella" after her office dropped charges against former Olympian David Hearn.

Hearn had been accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. However, federal prosecutors informed a judge on Friday that the damage is now believed to be the result of faulty installation rather than deliberate vandalism. Consequently, they moved to dismiss the case against Hearn.

“

Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked. I don’t know what the hell happened.

Trump, speaking to reporters, expressed strong disappointment with Pirro's decision. He argued that surveillance footage showed individuals tampering with the pool's waterproofing material. "Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked. I don’t know what the hell happened," Trump stated.

“

Pirro made a mistake. It was vandalism.

Pirro, a former Fox News host and a known ally of Trump, is the chief federal prosecutor in Washington. Her office's filing cited "shoddy construction" as the cause of the damage, which occurred shortly before the nation's 250th-anniversary celebration. Trump, however, maintained his belief that it was vandalism and that Pirro "made a mistake."

When asked if he was reconsidering Pirro's position, Trump did not provide a direct answer. The case involved alleged damage to the newly renovated pool ahead of a significant national celebration.

“

She folded like an umbrella.