Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool damage controversy

DOJ quietly drops Reflecting Pool charges against three others after Trump blew up at Pirro

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Trump lashes out at Jeanine Pirro after she drops Reflecting Pool ‘vandalism’ charges: ‘I don’t know what she was thinking’

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US Attorney Jeanine Pirro made statements regarding the damage to the water basin.

In July 2026, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to dismiss a felony destruction of property charge against David Hearn. While Pirro had previously brought an indictment against Hearn, alleging he deliberately destroyed property by forcefully pulling the pool’s lining, she later indicated in a court filing that the damage to the recently installed pool liner was the result of flawed installation by the contractor.

Pirro's filing suggested that her office was misled by the Interior Department, noting that the department provided less than fulsome information at the outset of the case. Prosecutors acknowledged that the damage to the liner resulted from a rushed and botched installation by Atlantic Industrial Coatings (AIC), making it difficult to attribute the widespread damage to vandalism beyond a reasonable doubt.

The National Park Service reported an incident involving damage to the pool liner.

In June 2026, the National Park Service reported an incident in which it claimed that a sharp knife or razor cut the newly installed liner of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. This report was initially shared with the U.S. Park Police.

The damage occurred during a period involving and rushing to complete the pool project for events associated with the America 250 celebration. While some officials initially suggested the scene was a case of vandalism, other reports indicated that the peeling material resulted from flawed installation by a contractor.

The investigation into the liner's condition revealed damage throughout the area, including sections where it was argued a vandal would be unlikely to have peeled the lining. Reports further clarified that the issue may have been caused by a rushed and botched installation by a first-time government contractor receiving a no-bid contract.

Donald Trump announced plans to beautify the Reflecting Pool.

In May, US President Donald Trump announced plans to beautify the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. As part of the effort, he directed that the pool's bottom be painted 'American flag blue,' and the project was rushed ahead of events tied to the America 250 celebration surrounding Independence Day 2026.

The pool's liner was later damaged in June 2026. A former Olympic canoeist, David Hearn, was accused of pulling up a piece of the lining, but charges against him were dropped. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Trump appointee, said her office had been misled by the Interior Department and that the damage resulted from flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings (AIC), which had received a $14.7 million no-bid contract.

Trump disagreed with the decision, characterizing the incident as a 'pure case of VANDALISM.' However, a visual inspection revealed damage throughout the pool, including areas where a vandal would unlikely have attempted to peel the lining, and the Interior Department was accused of misrepresenting the cause.