Federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., have dropped all remaining charges in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case after newly released evidence indicated the damage was caused by botched installation work by a contractor hired during a Trump administration renovation.
Prosecutors dismissed the cases against four individuals—including former Olympian David Hearn—on Friday, reversing course after months of pursuing vandalism claims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia stated in court filings that the evidence made it ‘difficult to attribute the widespread damage to vandalism’ and instead pointed to contractor errors.
The Reflecting Pool, a $14 million renovation project completed in 2025, has become a focal point of political debate after President Donald Trump publicly blamed vandals for damage to the pool’s new lining. The pool’s blue surface began peeling shortly after installation, with Trump asserting that a 300-foot slit had been cut into the material by an unknown assailant.
Prosecutors initially charged Hearn, a 67-year-old Maryland resident and former Olympic canoeist, in July 2026 with vandalizing the pool. Hearn pleaded not guilty, claiming he merely touched a loose piece of the lining out of curiosity. On Friday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro filed a motion to dismiss the indictment, stating that the Interior Department had not provided her office with the full scope of information about the contractor’s work. Pirro’s office later confirmed that the damage was likely due to ‘hasty and botched work’ by the contractor, Rinker Materials, a company selected by the Trump administration.
The dismissals follow Pirro’s public criticism of the contractor’s work and her admission that the vandalism narrative was unsupported by evidence. In a court filing, she wrote that the ‘flawed installation’ by the contractor was the most plausible explanation for the damage. The Interior Department has not publicly commented on the findings.
President Trump has rejected the contractor error explanation, insisting in a Monday press conference that the renovation was successful and that Pirro ‘choked’ in her handling of the case. Trump alleged that a judge had been ‘vicious’ toward Pirro and that she ‘folded like an umbrella’ by dismissing the charges. He also defended the contractor’s work, stating that the renovation used ‘very expensive material to put on top of the surface that always leaked because it was stone.’
Trump’s remarks came after reports suggested he was considering removing Pirro from her position for her decision to drop the case. When asked by a reporter if he would reconsider her role, Trump responded, ‘You’re fake news. Don’t ever talk again.’
The Reflecting Pool renovation, completed in early 2025, was part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to modernize D.C. landmarks. Critics of the project have long questioned the administration’s contracting process, noting that Rinker Materials had no prior experience installing similar linings. The pool’s new surface, described as ‘American flag blue,’ began deteriorating within weeks of installation, leading to widespread public concern.
Legal experts and defense attorneys involved in the dismissed cases have indicated that the identical one-page motions filed by prosecutors for the remaining three individuals—Cameron Thiers and two others—suggest a coordinated reversal. G. Allen Dale, an attorney for Thiers, stated that ‘anyone who’s read the pleading that was filed in Mr. Hearn’s case would understand exactly why they would have to dismiss against the remainder of those charged.’
The dismissals mark the latest development in a case that has drawn scrutiny over the Trump administration’s handling of federal prosecutions and the integrity of its infrastructure projects. While prosecutors have not provided detailed explanations for the dismissals, the court filings and statements from Pirro’s office indicate that the vandalism claims have been undermined by contractor evidence. The case has also raised questions about the politicization of federal law enforcement, with critics arguing that the initial charges were pursued for political reasons.
The Reflecting Pool remains under repair, with no timeline provided for its reopening. The Interior Department has not responded to requests for comment on the contractor’s role or the status of the renovation.