President Donald Trump is contemplating the removal of Jeanine Pirro, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, following a Justice Department conclusion that issues with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool were due to a flawed renovation rather than vandalism. Sources familiar with the situation indicated that Trump is displeased with Pirro's handling of the case and felt blindsided by her court filing. During a recent Oval Office event, Trump expressed disappointment in Pirro, stating, "I was disappointed in Jeanine Pirro. Really disappointed in Jeanine Pirro. She folded like an umbrella."
The Justice Department acknowledged in a court filing that Trump's $14 million renovation of the Reflecting Pool was "hasty and botched" and announced it would drop the criminal case against David Hearn, who had been accused of vandalizing the site. Hearn, who pleaded not guilty to the felony charge, may pursue legal options that could reveal more details about the case's handling.
Pirro has argued that the Department of Interior did not provide sufficient information at the start of the case, which contributed to the decision to seek a grand jury indictment. Despite her criticisms, Trump reportedly does not hold the same anger towards Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who dismissed Pirro's claims on social media, asserting that evidence indicates vandalism has occurred at the Reflecting Pool. Internal communications obtained through FOIA requests suggest that the National Park Service did not mention vandalism when planning to drain the pool for maintenance. Hearn's legal team is expected to respond to Pirro's request to dismiss the case this week.