President Donald Trump criticized the dismissal of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case, citing an account from a National Park Service employee. The employee claimed that former Olympian David Hearn 'violently' tugged at the pool's coating before authorities arrived. Trump shared a screenshot from court documents detailing interviews with two National Park Service employees who were present during the incident.
According to the document, one employee, referred to as W-1, stated that Hearn initially used his cellphone to take photos or videos of the pool's damage. The employee alleged that Hearn then knelt and began to rip at the pool's coating. W-1 reportedly asked another employee to contact the police and warned Hearn to stop, to which Hearn allegedly responded that the employees were 'awfully sensitive about the pool.'
Trump emphasized the witness account as he continued to argue that some damage to the pool was intentional, following federal prosecutors' decision to dismiss felony charges against Hearn earlier this month. Trump acknowledged that some issues at the pool were due to contractor error but maintained that there was substantial damage caused by other incidents, including the use of an 'acid-like material' nearby.
Hearn was indicted on July 2 for felony destruction of property after allegedly pulling at the pool's coating on June 19. Prosecutors later stated that newly disclosed evidence indicated some damage was related to flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, and that the government would not have sought an indictment had they received this information earlier. The case was dismissed without prejudice, allowing for the possibility of future charges.
Trump has publicly disagreed with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's decision to drop the charges, suggesting that the witness account supports his claims regarding the vandalism. Hearn's attorneys have stated that the case should not have been brought and accused the administration of wrongful charges.