Trump blasts Pirro after she refutes his claim that Reflecting Pool was damaged by vandals
PBS News Hour – Politics — 2026-08-01 13:34:00 — www.pbs.org
Trump Doubles Down on Vandalism Claims Despite Evidence of Construction Flaws at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
President Donald Trump on Saturday sharply criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s assessment that the extensive damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was the result of shoddy construction, not vandalism, as he has repeatedly claimed.
In a social media post, Trump acknowledged there “may have been some contractor difficulty” with the installation of the new pool liner. However, he continued to insist, “the major damage was caused by VANDALS!” and stated, “I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool.”
Trump’s insistence comes after Pirro’s office, in a court filing on Friday, moved to drop criminal charges against former Olympian David Hearn, who had been accused of deliberately damaging the pool. The Justice Department, which had previously echoed Trump’s claims and promoted the prosecution as accountability for vandalism at a Washington landmark, now faces an embarrassing setback. The president, without providing any new evidence, continues to allege that the majority of the damage was caused by vandals.
Fact-Check: Evidence Points to Construction Issues
Government lawyers, in a 20-page court filing, stated that additional documents from the Interior Department since Hearn’s indictment show the damage resulted from a botched installation by a contractor and “the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.” A recent visual inspection revealed damage throughout the pool, including areas where prosecutors say a vandal would not likely have attempted to peel the lining.
Pirro, a Trump appointee, wrote in her filing, “Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,” and asked a judge to formally dismiss the case.
Trump’s Continued Claims and Video Post
On Saturday, Trump also posted a nearly four-minute video from a security camera, showing three individuals with their hands in the pool. He claimed the video shows “material is being cut with a knife or a box cutter, for all to see!” However, it is not clear from the video that any vandalism occurred, and workers nearby do not appear to notice the individuals’ actions.
Background: Trump’s Project and Quick Blame
In May, Trump announced plans to beautify the Reflecting Pool, directing that the bottom be painted “American flag blue.” Problems emerged within days of the project’s completion, with chunks of the new liner peeling off. Trump was quick to blame vandals, and the National Park Service reported a June 9 incident to the U.S. Park Police, claiming a sharp knife or razor cut the new liner.
Conclusion
Despite mounting evidence from government filings and visual inspections pointing to construction flaws and rushed work as the primary causes of the Reflecting Pool’s damage, Trump continues to assert, without clear evidence, that vandalism is to blame. The Justice Department’s move to drop charges against Hearn underscores the lack of support for Trump’s claims, highlighting a pattern of the president making public accusations that are not substantiated by the facts.