President Donald Trump has publicly attacked U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after federal prosecutors dropped a criminal case against a former Olympian accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said he was deeply disappointed with Pirro and accused her of backing down under pressure from the judge overseeing the case.
Trump said Pirro had “folded like an umbrella” and argued that the case should have continued as vandalism. When asked whether he was reconsidering Pirro’s position, the president did not provide a direct answer. Reports citing unnamed administration sources have said Trump is considering removing her, but the White House has not announced any personnel decision.
The dispute involves David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist who was charged with felony destruction of property after allegedly touching or pulling part of the recently renovated Reflecting Pool liner on June 19.
TRENDING TODAY
Hearn pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors later moved to dismiss the charge after receiving documents indicating that the pool liner had already experienced extensive problems before his visit.
According to the government’s dismissal filing, records from the Department of the Interior described a rushed and flawed installation process, including repeated failures and widespread peeling of the liner throughout the pool.
Pirro’s office said those records were not provided until after the indictment had been returned. Prosecutors said they had initially relied on information suggesting vandalism caused the damage but later concluded that defective installation by the contractor was responsible.
Trump rejected that conclusion in public statements, maintaining that the incident appeared to be intentional vandalism. He also blamed the judge handling the case for placing pressure on Pirro’s office, although the president did not present new evidence showing that Hearn caused the liner damage.
The Justice Department’s decision extended beyond Hearn. Prosecutors subsequently moved to dismiss charges against three other people accused of damaging the pool after investigators determined that the renovation problems, rather than deliberate vandalism, were primarily responsible for the deterioration.
The expanded dismissals make the dispute more consequential than a disagreement over one defendant. They suggest career prosecutors concluded that the available evidence could not reliably support multiple criminal cases connected to the damaged liner.
Pirro was initially appointed by Trump as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia before receiving Senate confirmation in August 2025. She had previously spent years defending Trump publicly as a television commentator, making his unusually harsh criticism of her particularly notable.
The episode also raises questions about the independence of federal prosecutors.
The Justice Department operates under the authority of the president and attorney general, but prosecutors are still expected to evaluate individual cases based on admissible evidence and whether charges can be proven in court. Dismissing a case after receiving potentially exculpatory information is not necessarily a sign that prosecutors “choked.” It can also reflect their legal obligation to reconsider a prosecution when the factual basis changes.
At the same time, the original decision to pursue a serious felony charge may receive additional scrutiny. Hearn’s attorneys could seek sanctions or explore a claim for damages, particularly if they argue that the government acted without obtaining all relevant renovation records before securing the indictment. No court has yet ruled that prosecutors committed misconduct.
The political pressure surrounding the case may create further complications. If Pirro were removed shortly after refusing to continue charges that her office concluded were unsupported, critics could argue that prosecutorial decisions are being influenced by presidential preferences rather than evidence.
Trump and his supporters may respond that senior Justice Department officials remain accountable for how aggressively they enforce federal property laws and that the president has the right to replace appointed prosecutors whose judgment he no longer trusts.
It remains unclear whether Trump will dismiss Pirro, whether the administration will seek to revive any of the cases or whether additional internal reviews will examine why the Interior Department records were not provided earlier.
The dismissals were reportedly made without a final ruling establishing that prosecution could never be attempted again. However, any renewed case would require credible evidence connecting a particular defendant to intentional damage rather than the documented installation failures.
Why It Matters
Federal prosecutors have the power to expose defendants to prison sentences, major legal expenses and lasting reputational harm. Their charging decisions are expected to be based on evidence rather than political demands.
The dispute also raises concerns for taxpayers. A multimillion-dollar federal renovation allegedly suffered widespread installation problems, while the government spent additional resources investigating and prosecuting people before obtaining records showing the damage may have existed beforehand.
What Comes Next
The White House may clarify whether Pirro will remain U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., while her office continues dealing with the remaining legal consequences of the Reflecting Pool investigation.
Defense attorneys could ask judges to permanently prevent the dismissed charges from being refiled or pursue sanctions and financial claims against the government.
Congressional lawmakers may also seek information about the renovation contract, the delayed Interior Department records and whether political officials attempted to influence the prosecution after the evidence changed.
The White House released video it said showed suspected damage to the Reflecting Pool. Prosecutors later dropped the charges after records indicated that installation failures had already damaged the liner.
CAUGHT ON VIDEO: Suspects vandalizing the Reflecting Pool.
Destroying, injuring, defacing, or removing cultural or archaeological resources is a federal crime and will NOT be tolerated! pic.twitter.com/zCtXVYvMZn
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 25, 2026
