Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

ASEAN NOW

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Trump Rejects DOJ Finding On Reflecting Pool Renovation

Featured Replies

  • Popular Post

President Donald Trump has rejected the Justice Department’s conclusion that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was damaged as a result of a botched renovation, rather than vandalism.

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said

"I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool. I don't know what she was thinking? To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM,"

DOJ Drops Case, Citing Flawed Renovation

Trump’s comments came a day after the Justice Department acknowledged in a court filing that the president’s $14 million renovation of the Reflecting Pool was “hasty and botched” and said it was dropping the criminal case against David Hearn, a former Olympian who had faced accusations of vandalising the landmark.

The filing marked a reversal for Pirro’s office and a sharp shift from the administration’s earlier stance, which blamed vandals for the deterioration of the pool lining, the appearance of algae and water turning green after the renovation was completed.

As part of the administration’s effort to link the pool’s condition to alleged vandalism, three other people were also charged. Each pleaded not guilty to lesser, misdemeanor counts, according to DC court records, and prosecutors later dropped charges against at least two of them, a lawyer for one defendant said.

Timeline Contradicts Trump’s Claims

In May, Trump ordered the renovation, including painting the pool’s bottom an intense blue, and set a target of completing the work by the Fourth of July. The renovation drew criticism from multiple quarters, with opponents pointing to the scale and the aesthetic changes requested by Trump across Washington this summer.

While Trump repeatedly blamed vandals without providing evidence, his statements were challenged by the chronology set out in Pirro’s prosecutors’ court filing. The filing indicated that large sections of the blue lining were already peeling before Hearn visited the site.

Prosecutors said that on June 11, a National Park Service engineer informed Interior Department colleagues about peeling around the pool’s perimeter, citing an email obtained recently by Pirro’s office. The same section of the liner was later referenced in the allegations against Hearn.

Hearn was arrested on June 19 and indicted on July 2. Weeks after the indictment, federal prosecutors said they received information from Interior documenting serious concerns about the contractor’s work, including claims that the installation process was flawed and the government was not fully informed early on.


Reflecting Pool Case Dropped as DOJ Blames Contractor


Pirro’s office wrote that Interior gave “less than fulsome information” at the outset, arguing that fuller disclosure would have prevented the case from proceeding to a grand jury indictment. Prosecutors also said they received “barebones” police reports from the US Park Police and that they could not fully assess the full extent of the damage until July 17, when the pool was drained again.

Burgum Rejects Revision, Hearn’s Lawyers Seek Apology

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum disputed the Justice Department’s conclusion in a post on Saturday afternoon, saying the evidence showed that vandals had repeatedly damaged the Reflecting Pool. He said Interior had provided the US attorney’s office expert and eyewitness testimony, along with evidence detailing damage areas within timelines it requested.

In court submissions Friday, Pirro’s office had described what it called failures during the renovation process and also pointed to other federal agencies, including the Interior Department. Pirro’s prosecutors said the work was rushed to accommodate events on the National Mall for the nation’s 250th birthday.

Hearn’s defence has argued that the case should never have been brought and that its dismissal does not address what they called misuse of government power in charging him. In a statement on Friday, his attorneys said the administration’s approach was “ready, fire, aim” and said the government should apologise. They also said the Interior Department provided additional documents only after the return of the indictment, including allegations that damage in June 2026 resulted from flawed installation by Atlantic Industrial Coatings and the rush to complete the project ahead of America 250 events around Independence Day 2026.

Join the discussion? Create account. orange.png


image.png

2 August 2026


View full article

  • Popular Post

Poor Donald, he cannot handle the truth.

  • Popular Post

Same same, but NO different!

Looks like another round of “deny the facts, blame the others” politics.

DOJ’s own timeline says the liner was peeling before Hearn ever showed up, and the rush‑job for the July 4 deadline is now on record.

Trump shouting “100% vandalism” doesn’t change the fact that his $14m makeover went green within weeks.

Interior doubling down is predictable, but once prosecutors admit the renovation was botched, the vandalism line collapses.

Hearn’s lawyers calling it “ready, fire, aim” feels about right.

  • Popular Post

A break in the ranks.....Pirro must realize Trump is a goner, so she decided not to die on that hill.

Bringing such an obviously frivolous case to court and pressing it in light of reality would not only make her a laughing stock---even among her former, and perhaps future colleagues on Fox---but could even get her disbarred.

The fellow Hearn reached down to touch a piece of the lining that had already broken free and floated up. Pretty obvious. I bet a trial could even be held in the heart of Krakabamastan---pure MAGA country---and still a stacked jury of Trump's peers (sic) would laugh.

Trump's whining about Pirro just makes him look more demented or insecure. He simply cannot accept that he and his goofball donor effed up. I'm kind of surprised Trump hasn't yet blamed Obama, though perhaps by the end of this week......

  • Popular Post

American Quality of workmanship an embarrassment in front of the world

  • Popular Post

Breathtaking comes to mind as a word to describe this total cluster****.

How in God's name can people keep supporting Trump and this administration?

  • Popular Post
7 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

Breathtaking comes to mind as a word to describe this total cluster****.

How in God's name can people keep supporting Trump and this administration?

it is well known America is the home of "cults " and that is what MAGA is a cult !!, Support for Donald Trump persists because millions of voters view him as a vital fighter against cultural decline, or believe he is an imperfect vessel chosen for a greater mission in other words American nutjobs !!

  • Popular Post

Definitely needs a piss-in! Amazing--a keep out fence around Washington's Reflecting Pool after destroying the White House!

Awww ain’t it cute the man baby is blubbering again poor little pathetic baby.

Create an account or sign in to comment

Recently Browsing 0

  • No registered users viewing this page.

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.