President Donald Trump expressed his complete disagreement with U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro concerning her conclusions on the Reflecting Pool vandalism case. Trump, breaking from one of his own appointees, criticized Pirro’s findings via Truth Social on Saturday. Pirro noted that damage to the Reflecting Pool was due to ‘flawed installation’ rather than vandalism, leading her to dismiss felony charges against Olympian David Hearn.
I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool,Trump wrote.I don’t know what she was thinking?
Trump insisted the incident was clearly vandalism, pointing to damage to the grass which had 86 47
emblazoned in giant letters along with other surrounding area impacts. He acknowledged possible contractor issues but firmly attributed the major damage to vandals.
This stance differs sharply from Pirro’s office, which sought to dismiss charges against Hearn earlier in the week. Federal prosecutors found new evidence indicating contractors, not Hearn, were responsible for most of the damage.
Court filings stated that although Hearn was present at a demonstration near the pool, investigators couldn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he caused the cited property damage in the criminal complaint. The incident originated from a May protest where demonstrators entered the Reflecting Pool, creating political messages including ’86 47′ on the lawn.
The slogan has sparked controversy. Trump supporters view it as a threat against the president, whereas others consider it protected political expression.
Reflecting Pool Arrests
Federal authorities have arrested or cited at least 10 individuals concerning alleged vandalism at the Reflecting Pool. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced in June that seven people, including Hearn, were arrested.
On July 2, Pirro issued a statement denouncing the destruction, stating: these deliberate acts of destruction set back real progress and violate the law.
She stressed that vandalism of landmarks like the Reflecting Pool is an attack on shared history and national heritage, affirming a commitment to preserve such sites and hold accountable those defacing or diminishing them.
On July 8, three more individuals, Cameron Thiers, Sophie Dennison-Gibby, and Justin Carreno, faced misdemeanor charges for peeling and removing blue paint from the pool.
This story is developing; more updates will follow.