President Trump on Monday sharply criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping charges against U.S. Olympian David Hearn in the Reflecting Pool vandalism case, suggesting she caved under pressure from the presiding judge.
“The judge was extremely unfriendly to Jeanine, and frankly, I think she choked because the judge was really vicious,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after and went after her department. And I guess she choked. I don’t know what the hell happened.”
When pressed on whether he was reconsidering Pirro’s role, Trump dismissed the reporter, saying “you’re fake news. Don’t ever talk again.” Minutes later, he added that Pirro “folded like an umbrella.”
The president appeared to be referring to D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman, who has taken over the case. Edelman had warned last month that the government would be “operating at its own peril” if it continued repair work on the Reflecting Pool before the defense’s expert could sample it.
Hearn, a U.S. Olympian, was indicted by a grand jury in Washington, D.C., on felony destruction of property charges, facing up to 10 years in prison. Pirro alleged Hearn “ripped a piece of recently installed sealant on the bottom of the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial.”
However, on Friday, Pirro announced the charges would be dropped, instead blaming contractors responsible for the Reflecting Pool installation, citing “over spraying and delamination” as the cause of the damage.
The decision drew immediate backlash from Trump, who took to TruthSocial to voice his disagreement “100 [percent].” “I don’t know what she was thinking? To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass, which had a big 86 47 emblazoned in giant letters on it, and other elements of the surrounding area,” the president wrote.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum also pushed back on the ruling, arguing that vandals “repeatedly” damaged the Reflecting Pool. The controversy comes as Trump continues to tout his tax-cut agenda on the West Coast, where he has contrasted his policies with California’s Democratic leadership.
The episode has also fueled broader concerns among some GOP lawmakers that the administration’s handling of high-profile legal matters could hurt the party’s midterm election prospects. Meanwhile, Trump’s aggressive posture toward the judiciary has drawn parallels to his ongoing clashes over other policy areas, such as his ban on gender-affirming care in federal health plans, which is now facing legal challenges.
The White House has not indicated any immediate personnel changes, but the president’s remarks signal continued friction over the case. Pirro has not publicly responded to Trump’s latest comments.
