Trump administration warned of Reflecting Pool liner issue weeks before vandalism charge was filed
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A National Park Service engineer alerted the Interior Department to peeling in the Lincoln Reflecting Pool's liner in early June, a warning that surfaced after a former Olympian was charged with property damage and later had the case dropped.
A U.S. National Park Service engineer sent an email on June 11 warning that the top layer of the Lincoln Reflecting Pool's liner had begun to peel, describing the defect as a thin overspray that could develop a vulnerable strip up to two feet wide. The message was directed to officials at the Interior Department and the Park Service.
Despite the warning, President Donald Trump later accused visitors of "destroying" the pool after it reopened, and the Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney’s Office charged former Olympian canoeist David Hearn with property destruction following a June 19 visit.
Prosecutors later acknowledged they did not have the engineer’s documentation at the time of the indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Spence noted that the engineer’s statements "cast significant doubt that the defendant caused damage to the lining" and that the information was provided weeks after the grand jury indictment.
On July 31, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Jeanine Pirro, dismissed the case, citing interior-department documents indicating the damage resulted from flawed installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings.
"These statements cast significant doubt that the defendant caused damage to the lining," Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Spence wrote in a filing.
Trump publicly criticized the decision, calling it a mistake and maintaining that the pool had been vandalized. Hearn’s lawyers are now seeking a permanent block on any future prosecution, arguing the case was politically motivated. The Justice Department has asked a superior court judge to dismiss the case without prejudice, allowing the possibility of refiling charges.