Former President Donald Trump has called on U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to review her decision to drop charges related to vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. On Friday, Trump took to Truth Social to share photos from a photographer, alleging vandalism at the site. He described people with their hands in the water where slashes were documented, stating witnesses observed the vandalism, and suggested the cuts to the material were made using a knife.

Trump strongly disagreed with Pirro’s decision, expressing his concerns over the handling of the case involving David Hearn, a former Olympian accused of felony destruction of property. Hearn was indicted on July 2 for allegedly causing damage exceeding $1,000 by pulling at a loose section of the pool’s coating. The U.S. Park Police had claimed that Hearn continued after being instructed by a National Park Service employee to stop.

Pirro’s office explained that the decision was based on a lack of comprehensive information from the Department of the Interior (DOI), which initially provided limited reports. It was only after Hearn’s indictment that the DOI revealed further documentation, indicating that the damage resulted from a flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, amid a rush to complete the project before Independence Day 2026 events.

The new evidence presented significant challenges in proving that Hearn was responsible for the damage beyond a reasonable doubt. As a result, prosecutors requested the court dismiss the indictment without prejudice, allowing for the possibility of re-filing the charges in the future.

In response to the dismissal, Hearn’s attorneys criticized the government’s actions as an abuse of power, arguing that their client did nothing wrong and deserved an apology. This statement emphasized the argument that the case should not have been brought against him.

Prosecutors stated that if the DOI had been forthcoming earlier with the essential information, the grand jury indictment would not have been pursued. The Lincoln Memorial aspect of this issue highlights the importance of clear communication and accuracy in such legal proceedings.