US admits contractor errors damaged Lincoln Memorial pool; charges dropped against Olympian

The U.S. Department of the Interior has admitted that contractor errors during a recent renovation caused damage to the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial. This acknowledgment, detailed in a court document filed Friday, prompted the Justice Department to drop its vandalism case against former Olympic athlete David Hearn.

President Donald Trump had repeatedly asserted that the pool had been vandalized, particularly by "radical left vandals." Hearn, a multiple world champion in whitewater canoeing, was arrested and accused of damaging the pool's new paint coating. He had claimed he was merely curious and touched a piece of dislodged paint in the water. The charges carried a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison.

Documents provided by the Interior Department state that the damage, which occurred in June 2026, was due to faulty installation and haste by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings. The company was reportedly trying to complete the project before the nation's 250th-anniversary celebrations.

Despite evidence pointing to contractor error, Trump continued to blame vandals. When asked on June 22 about the damage, he responded, "No, no. Vandals," and proceeded to describe "vandals" cutting the pool's bottom lining with a knife, even after previously stating the pool could not be damaged by a knife.

The admission by the Interior Department effectively clears Hearn, who had maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal. The case highlights a discrepancy between the administration's public statements and the findings of its own investigative bodies regarding the incident.

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No, no. Vandals.