President Trump has not yet decided whether to fire U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, but his recent public statements and social media posts make clear he is not ready to drop the matter. The pressure comes as the criminal cases against Olympic swimmer David Hearn and three others over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool have collapsed under the weight of evidence pointing to contractor negligence.
On Friday, Trump took to Truth Social, urging Pirro to "re-visit her hastily made decision" to dismiss the charges. That came a day after D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman formally threw out the case against Hearn, though he left the door open for prosecutors to potentially refile. The president's comments reflect a broader frustration with Pirro, a longtime ally and former Fox News host, who has yet to secure her position in the administration.
The felony case against Hearn and the misdemeanor charges against the others began to fall apart in late July when Pirro's own office conceded in court filings that the damage to the pool — the distinctive "American flag blue" paint that peeled away — was the result of a flawed and rushed installation by a no-bid contractor, not vandalism. Prosecutors also pointed to the Interior Department for failing to provide an accurate account of the problem before the case was presented to a grand jury.
Trump initially lambasted Pirro for folding "like an umbrella" and told reporters he had not yet determined whether to oust her. But over the weekend, his tone shifted slightly. On Saturday, he posted images of the alleged damage, claiming the material was "cut right where the video tape showed, for 300 feet or more" and that people were on their knees with hands in the water at the exact location of the "slashes." By Sunday, he acknowledged "some contractor error" in the renovations, while still insisting there was "substantial damage" and that "there is no video or proof, other than the damage, itself."
Pirro was seen entering the White House last week for a meeting that included Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and she later left with a large box of what was described as evidence. She has since kept a low profile. The meeting itself drew criticism from Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, who noted that Justice Department policy bars partisan politics from charging decisions. "Pirro should be free to make her own decisions based on facts, independent from White House interference," McQuade said. "That's what it means to live in a democracy that upholds the rule of law."
A former senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said only Trump truly knows whether Pirro's job is safe, and that he could change his mind at any moment. "The fact that he is still wasting even a moment thinking about the Reflecting Pool with under three months before the midterms is just nuts," the official said. Federal law gives the president broad authority to appoint and remove U.S. attorneys, and Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledged as much on Wednesday, saying, "If President Trump wanted to fire anybody within his administration, he understands he has the power to do that."
Pirro also faces criticism from within the administration. Peter Navarro, Trump's senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, used an appearance on Steve Bannon's "War Room" to blast Pirro for refusing to fire John Crabb, the prosecutor who led the case against Navarro for defying a House subpoena related to the Jan. 6 attack. "Never mention her friggin' name to me because that woman still refuses to fire John Crabb," Navarro said. "Jeanine, are you listening?" Crabb was among several top prosecutors in the D.C. office who were demoted under Pirro's predecessor, Ed Martin.
Legal experts say Pirro is caught between Trump's demands and the reality of a weak case. Pursuing the charges could have led to a humiliating dismissal in court, while dropping them invited presidential wrath. Hearn's defense team, led by Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann, and Steve Levin, maintains that evidence of his innocence was available from the start. "Our first filing in the case on July 10 included photographic evidence from before Mr. Hearn touched the Reflecting Pool proving that he caused no damage," they said in a statement. "We are reviewing all legal remedies, including for this continued harassment. It is outrageous."
The episode has also drawn attention from Capitol Hill. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, has signaled interest in the matter, though details of any potential inquiry remain unclear. As the midterm elections approach, Trump's focus on the Reflecting Pool case has raised eyebrows even among his own allies, who question the political wisdom of dwelling on a case that has largely fallen apart. Meanwhile, the president's broader relationship with his Justice Department continues to face scrutiny, with critics pointing to Trump's denials about discussions with Blanche and Pirro over potential prosecutions as another example of the administration's politicized approach to law enforcement.
