On Monday, Doug Burgum from the Trump administration stated that there is clear evidence of vandalism to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, despite the Department of Justice (DOJ) previously indicating the damage resulted from faulty installation. This comes after the DOJ dropped a felony vandalism charge against Olympic canoeist David Hearn.
Burgum’s Assertions
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News that while almost all of the pool’s blue liner was installed correctly, vandalism played a role in the damage. Burgum mentioned, 99.7 percent of the liner was done perfectly. There was vandalism in spite of what everybody says.
His comments follow weeks after federal prosecutors dismissed the case against Hearn, citing that newly obtained information showed the issue stemmed from incorrect installation rather than vandalism.
DOJ and Trump Administration Split
The DOJ’s stance has led to a split within the Trump administration. President Trump insists that vandals caused the damage, although U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office dismissed Hearn’s case. Newsweek reached out to the DOJ, National Park Service, and Pirro’s office for comments.
Understanding Reflecting Pool Controversy
Problems arose after the Trump administration invested in renovating the historic pool, installing new blue coating. The coating began peeling; algae also bloomed, raising concerns about the installation quality. Initially, federal officials attributed visible damage to vandalism, particularly noting caulk and foam sealants cut with sharp tools and damage to surface material.
Charged with felony destruction of government property, Hearn’s case was later dropped when new Interior Department documents showed flaws in installation by Atlantic Industrial Coatings. They rushed the project to complete before July 4 celebrations. The new evidence was not presented until after Hearn’s indictment, showing damage was not due to vandalism as initially claimed.
Trump’s Criticism
After the case dismissal, Trump criticized Pirro, expressing belief in vandalized damages and questioned Pirro’s actions. Burgum stressed expert and eyewitness testimony supporting vandalism claims, though specifics on clear evidence
remain ambiguous. He noted ongoing cleaning efforts and algae management improvements.
Surveillance and Legal Disputes
Trump circulated footage allegedly showing vandalism, though the video doesn’t clearly confirm vandal-led damages or interaction with already damaged material. The Cultural Landscape Foundation argued further repairs might alter physical evidence crucial for damage cause assessment. They sought expert inspections prior to continued repairs, but a judge denied this request.
Newsweek’s August photographs showed remaining peeling sections on the pool floor amid repair efforts.