A mobile security camera stationed inside fences at the drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, following renovations and Independence Day celebrations, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 26, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
The Trump administration's prosecution of Olympic canoeist David "Davey" Hearn for vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is unraveling after a grand jury witness testified that the pool area was already damaged and would have required repairs regardless of Hearn's actions.
NBC News published court filings revealing the testimony directly contradicts the claims of President Donald Trump-appointed prosecutors that Hearn, who has pleaded not guilty, was responsible for the damage to the monument.
The Reflecting Pool renovation was intended as one of Trump's signature beautification projects in Washington, D.C.
Shortly after completion, the pool experienced a severe algae bloom that damaged the protective lining, requiring hydrogen peroxide treatment. The Trump administration initially blamed a supposed 350-foot "gash" deliberately made by vandals, but no such gash was found when the pool was drained for inspection, undermining the entire prosecution theory.
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