President Donald Trump increased his criticism over the dismissed case involving vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. He highlighted a National Park Service employee’s account stating that former Olympian David Hearn aggressively damaged the pool’s coating before authorities intervened.
Trump shared a screenshot from court documents on Truth Social. These documents included interviews with two National Park Service employees present during the incident. According to one employee, identified as W-1, Hearn initially took photos or videos of the pool using his cellphone. The employee alleged Hearn then violently ripped at the pool’s coating.
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Some workers from the National Park Service were stationed near a pump next to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on July 10, 2026. The filing states W-1 asked another employee to contact police as Hearn continued pulling at the coating even after being told to stop.
Trump shared these witness accounts as federal prosecutors dismissed the felony charge against Hearn. Trump argued that the statement supports his claim of intentional damage to the pool.
Other incidents around the Reflecting Pool included the use of an ‘acid-like material’ on newly installed grass, where ’86 47′ was written. Trump acknowledged some damage was due to contractor error during a rushed renovation before July 4.
Police reported the incident occurred Friday at around 3:36 p.m. Trump emphasized plans to install more security cameras and announced that the pool would reopen soon.
Prosecutors had dropped the charge, stating that documents later revealed issues with the installation that could not solely attribute damage to Hearn. They sought dismissal without prejudice, allowing for potential future charges.
Trump expressed disagreement with the prosecution’s decision. He argued the evidence and witness accounts reflected deliberate damage beyond construction flaws.