Charges Dropped Against Ex-Olympian David Hearn Accused of Damaging Reflecting Pool
NYT > U.S. > Politics — 2026-07-31 21:12:00 — www.nytimes.com
Trump’s False Claims About Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Damage Contradicted by Federal Prosecutors
President Trump repeatedly claimed that widespread damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused by vandals slashing its new blue liner with knives. However, a motion filed by U.S. attorney Jeanine Pirro on Friday directly contradicted Trump’s assertions, revealing that the damage was actually the result of a botched installation by a government contractor, not vandalism.
Earlier this month, Pirro herself had echoed Trump’s claims, stating at a news conference that there was “tremendous evidence” supporting a felony charge against David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist accused of vandalizing the pool. Pirro noted that Hearn faced up to 10 years in prison. But in her Friday filing, Pirro explained that prosecutors had been misled by the Interior Department, which falsely attributed nearly all the damage to vandals while withholding information that the pool’s new lining had begun peeling within two days of completion.
Upon visiting the site, prosecutors saw that the damage was widespread and not limited to areas accessible to Hearn. Further investigation revealed that the problems with the pool’s lining developed during the renovation itself, not from outside interference. Pirro wrote, “Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism.”
Despite mounting evidence of contractor error, the Trump administration continued to defend the project as a success. An Interior Department spokeswoman previously stated, “President Donald J. Trump is an expert builder who fixed the Reflecting Pool permanently before deranged people vandalized it.” Trump also initially claimed he had personally chosen the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, because it had worked on one of his golf clubs, but later reversed himself, saying he did not know the firm.
The administration’s narrative extended to other issues at the pool. After an algae bloom turned the water bright green, Trump claimed vandals had dumped fertilizer into the pool, even though algae blooms have plagued the site for decades and no one has been charged with such an act.
The Justice Department’s motion to dismiss the felony charge against Hearn highlights a pattern of false statements and misattribution by Trump and his administration regarding the Reflecting Pool’s problems. The case underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in government projects, especially when public statements are contradicted by the facts.
The Reflecting Pool remains closed for inspection and repair, with questions lingering about the Interior Department’s conduct and the administration’s handling of the renovation.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/31/us/politics/david-hearn-reflecting-pool-vandalism-charges.html