Trump Criticizes Dropped Charges Over Lincoln Memorial Incident

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction on Monday regarding U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s decision to drop charges against a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

During an Oval Office event, Trump avoided questions about dismissing Pirro, a former Fox News host and his appointee as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. Despite this, he criticized her judgment, attributing the damage to the Reflecting Pool to poor construction rather than vandalism.

“Frankly, I think she choked because the judge was really vicious. Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked,” Trump said, responding to a reporter after signing an executive order for military spouses.

Dropping the charges against David Hearn marked a setback for the Justice Department and highlighted a moment of open defiance during Trump’s second term. After initially disagreeing with Pirro on social media, Trump remained upset, insisting that vandalism had affected the project.

Pirro was seen at the White House on Monday evening, though she hasn’t publicly responded to the president’s criticism. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who has backed Trump’s vandalism claims, was also spotted there.

Hearn claimed he was riding his bike on June 19 when he examined the pool’s surface, but complied when a park worker instructed him to stop. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana commented on Pirro’s allegations, emphasizing the seriousness of making unsupported claims in federal court.

Trump further distanced himself from the troubled project, which aimed to renovate the capital. Initially, he praised the firms involved, particularly Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which secured a $14.7 million contract. However, on Monday, Trump denied knowing the contractor and hinted at dissatisfaction with their rushed work.

Recent court records indicate that charges against three others arrested for similar misdemeanors were also dropped. Justin Carreno, Cameron Thiers, and Sophie Dennison-Gibby, all pleaded not guilty after initially being accused of damaging property valued under $1,000.

Despite the issues with the Reflecting Pool’s condition, Trump reassured that repairs were ongoing, promising it would be “fixed” and reopened within two weeks. No details were provided on the completion timeline or additional costs related to the repairs. Crews have already drained the Reflecting Pool to commence a new phase of repairs, but the administration has not sought new contractors for this work.