President Donald Trump has publicly criticized U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro. The disagreement centers on her decision to drop vandalism charges against former Olympic athlete David Hearn regarding damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Pirro’s office moved to dismiss the felony case on Friday. Prosecutors stated that new evidence indicates the damage resulted from faulty contractor work during preparations for the America 250 celebration. Pirro noted that the Department of the Interior withheld documents that would have prevented the initial indictment.
Trump rejected this explanation entirely on social media. He insisted that the incident constitutes clear vandalism and expressed disagreement with the prosecutor’s office. He cited specific markings on the site as proof of his position.
This dispute marks a rare public break between the president and Pirro, whom he appointed as the top federal prosecutor in Washington last year. The president remains focused on the Reflecting Pool case as a primary example of property damage in the capital, pushing for continued legal action regardless of the findings from his own Justice Department.