Trump cites National Park Service employee testimony in Reflecting Pool vandalism dispute

President Donald Trump shared a screenshot of court filings on his social platform, highlighting testimony from a National Park Service employee who said former Olympian David Hearn knelt in the Reflecting Pool and "violently" ripped at its coating. The employee, identified as W-1, reported that Hearn first used his phone to record the area, then placed his hands beneath the water surface and tugged at the blue coating despite being told to stop. A second park employee was asked to call police, and National Guard soldiers later arrived on the scene.

Trump used the account to argue that the damage was intentional, noting that the witness had provided the statement to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in early July. He also claimed other incidents, such as the alleged use of an "acid-like material" on nearby grass, though he acknowledged that contractors were responsible for some of the pool’s problems due to rushed renovation work.

The indictment against Hearn, filed on July 2, charged him with felony destruction of property after park police said he continued pulling at the coating after being warned. Prosecutors later moved to dismiss the case, citing additional evidence that the damage stemmed in part from flawed installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings and a hurried project timeline. They argued that the new information made it difficult to prove Hearn’s culpability beyond a reasonable doubt.

Trump has repeatedly criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s decision to drop the charge, calling her handling of the case "choked" under pressure. Hearn’s attorneys maintain that the indictment was unwarranted and that their client did nothing wrong. The White House said security cameras are being installed and that the pool will reopen soon.