Trump slams prosecutor's decision to drop charges in Reflecting Pool damage case

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly lambasted the federal prosecutor for dropping charges against David Hearn, a former U.S. Olympic athlete accused of vandalizing the historic Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C. Trump expressed strong disagreement with the decision, stating on his online platform, "I don't know what was going through your mind." He insisted that the main damage was caused by vandals, not construction issues.

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I don't know what was going through your mind

However, investigators concluded that the damage stemmed from flawed renovation work and rushed execution of the project, undermining the evidence needed for the vandalism charge. Prosecutor Jeanine Pirro stated that these new findings "undermine the evidentiary basis for the indictment." Hearn was arrested in June during a bike tour after stopping to examine the renovation work commissioned by Trump.

The Reflecting Pool's renovation, ordered ahead of the United States' 250th-anniversary celebrations, cost approximately $14 million. The contract was awarded to a contractor reportedly friendly with Trump without any public bidding process. Since its reopening, the pool has suffered from peeling paint and algae.

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undermine the evidentiary basis for the indictment

Trump had previously announced severe penalties for the alleged vandalism. The controversy surrounding the renovation, including the awarding of the contract and subsequent damage, has drawn significant attention.

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Maybe there were problems with the contractor, but the main damage was caused by vandals