President Donald Trump publicly criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, saying she "choked" after her office dropped a vandalism case related to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Prosecutors admitted the pool's peeling liner was caused by a "botched installation," not vandalism, exonerating accused Olympian David Hearn. Trump is reportedly "furious" and considering firing Pirro over the reversal.
Pirro dropped vandalism case
- ▪U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's office dropped its case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn on the Friday before August 3, 2026
- ▪A court filing from Pirro's office blamed a "flawed installation" by a contractor and a "rushed" construction timeline for the pool's damage
- ▪Prosecutors acknowledged that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool resulted from a "botched installation" and not vandalism as initially claimed
Trump criticizes Pirro publicly
- ▪President Trump also stated he was "really disappointed" with Jeanine Pirro and blamed a "really vicious" judge in the case
- ▪On August 3, 2026, President Donald Trump told reporters that Jeanine Pirro "choked" and "folded like an umbrella."
- ▪When a reporter asked if Jeanine Pirro's job was safe, President Trump called the reporter "fake news" and said "Don't ever talk again."
Potential firing of Pirro
- ▪A source told CNN that President Trump was "blindsided" by the Justice Department filing from Jeanine Pirro's office and did not know about it beforehand
- ▪President Trump has previously fired other U.S. attorneys, including Roger Rogoff in Washington and Desiree Leigh Grace in New Jersey
- ▪According to CNN sources, President Trump is "furious" with Jeanine Pirro and it is "highly likely she's removed from her job."
Reflecting Pool renovation failures
- ▪Contractors used hydrogen peroxide to kill algae, but the chemical is a paint thinner and caused the pool's "American flag blue" lining to peel
- ▪President Trump has repeatedly claimed the pool was sabotaged by vandals, contradicting the findings of Jeanine Pirro's office
- ▪A $16 million, no-bid renovation of the Reflecting Pool has been plagued by problems including algae blooms and a peeling liner
Spurious charges against Hearn
- ▪At President Trump's urging, Jeanine Pirro indicted former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn in July for felony destruction of property
- ▪David Hearn, a 67-year-old, was accused of "forcefully and violently" pulling up the pool liner and maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal
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