President Donald Trump lashed out at his own Justice Department in a Truth Social post, insisting again that vandals damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, although federal prosecutors concluded months ago that a botched installation was to blame.
Trump blamed the dismissal of the vandalism charges, which U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office brought and later dropped, on an unnamed “Radical Left person” in her office, though he once again offered no proof. He also claimed Fox News host Jesse Watters had shown the damage was caused by vandals, even though he acknowledged in August that there was “no video or proof” of other alleged damage to the pool.
“Washington’s beautiful Reflecting Pool,” Trump posted Monday afternoon, “which was badly damaged by Vandals despite the ridiculous writings of some Radical Left person in the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office who got it wrong and obviously didn’t investigate, witness, or see the attached tape, or the very inspiring Jesse Watters show which explained it all, or didn’t inspect the vast area of cut and slashed pool surface, or the grass that was scarred by poison with the numbers ‘86 47’ massively inscribed in font 90 feet tall and encompassing the width of the entire Park (which grass has been fully replaced with new grass), is now, after repair, 70% filled with water and looking good.”
“Interestingly, the Reflecting Pool has not worked properly since it was built in 1922 — It always leaked!” he added. “This will be different, but any Vandals that try to prove the point otherwise, will GO TO JAIL! We are watching very closely, and security cameras have been installed.”
The pool has had leak problems before. NBC News reported in 2012 that the old pool lost an estimated 500,000 gallons a week to leaks and evaporation.
Trump’s $14 million restoration of the pool, rushed ahead of the America 250 celebrations, was plagued by algae and peeling paint within weeks of its completion in June.
Prosecutors then charged former Olympic canoeist David Hearn with felony destruction of property after he touched a loose piece of coating during a bike ride. They accused him of “forcefully and violently” ripping up parts of the pool floor. Three others faced misdemeanor charges.
But on July 31, Pirro moved to drop Hearn’s case, saying Interior Department records showed the damage “was the result of flawed installation by the contractor.” Her office later dropped the misdemeanor cases too.
Trump responded that Pirro “choked” and “folded like an umbrella.” In August, he claimed that a “highly credible witness” from the National Park Service had seen Hearn damage the pool. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has also backed Trump’s claims that vandals were responsible.
On Oct. 1, D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman dismissed Hearn’s case with prejudice, which bars prosecutors from bringing it again.
“Although the prosecutors assigned to this case have deemed it meritless, the President of the United States has repeatedly disparaged them and pressured them to change course,” Edelman wrote.