Donald Trump has acknowledged that a hurried push to finish work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool led to what he described as a “contractor error,” while continuing to argue that the historic Washington, D.C., landmark was also targeted by a vandal.
Writing Sunday night on Truth Social, Trump pointed to an account from a National Park Service employee who, he said, claimed to have witnessed former Olympic canoeist David Hearn damaging the reflecting pool.
Hearn had previously been charged with felony destruction of property after authorities accused him of reaching into the water in June and pulling away part of the pool’s protective lining.
Those charges were dismissed Thursday by Jeanine Pirro, a longtime Trump ally, after the Department of Justice concluded that the damage had been caused by contractors rather than Hearn.
Trump, however, also conceded in his post that the $16 million renovation project had been pushed forward quickly.
“As with many jobs, there was also some contractor error done by rushing the job for a July 4th opening, but it was a very small area of this massive Pool, and was relatively inconsequential,” Trump wrote.
He maintained that a “highly credible” longtime National Park Service staffer had seen Hearn, whom Trump linked to ActBlue, “in broad daylight” vandalizing the Reflecting Pool by “violently” pulling and tearing at what he called the pool’s delicate surface coating.
Trump also alleged that an “acid like material” had been applied to grass near the pool, where the phrase “86 47” was reportedly marked on the lawn. His administration has argued that the wording amounts to a threat of violence against him.
President Donald Trump has admitted that ‘rushing’ renovations on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool did result in a ‘contractor error,’ but still insists the damage to the landmark was caused by a vandal
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform Sunday night, doubled down on his claims that the ’86 47′ etched into the grass near the pool was an act of vandalism
‘There was substantial other damage to the Reflecting Pool, also but, unfortunately, there is no video or proof, other than the damage, itself,’ the president continued. ‘We are working on the Pool, and it will reopen shortly.’
The president added that security cameras are being installed at the pool, which will reopen soon.
The DOJ moved July 31 to dismiss a criminal case against Hearn, saying evidence prosecutors had recently received refuted the idea that vandals were to blame.
Its 20-page filing from US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said that additional documents provided by the Interior Department since Hearn’s indictment show that the damage was the result of a botched installation by a contractor as well as ‘the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the American 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.’
Judge Todd Edelman in Washington dismissed the case Thursday.
Charges have also been dropped against three other people, Justin Carreno, Cameron Thiers and Sophie Dennison-Gibby, charged in the same DC court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of paint from the pool, according to online court records.
Trump has rebuked Pirro’s move and maintained that vandals are responsible, saying that she ‘choked’ and ‘folded like an umbrella.’
The White House previously said that Trump was not aware ahead of time that Pirro’s office would drop the charges against Hearn.
Trump has once again accused US Olympic canoeist David Hearn, above, of vandalizing the pool, despite the Justice Department having dropped the charges against him
Trump has claimed an ‘acid like material’ was used on the grass near the pool and referenced how the phrase ’86 47′ appeared on the lawn, as seen in a photograph that Trump shared on Truth Social on August 1
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is seen partially filled with water on August 7. Trump says security cameras are being installed at the pool, which will reopen soon
Lawyers for Hearn, in their 28-page motion to dismiss the charges, argued that the poor condition of the pool was ‘plainly visible’ for weeks and was publicly documented through photographs, video and news reports.
The contractor, Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings, ‘publicly acknowledged, before Mr Hearn was indicted, that portions of the project required repair,’ the lawyers said.
The firm was awarded a $14.7 million no-bid contract to repaint and waterproof the pool’s concrete floor but the cost has exceeded this initial budget.
Regardless, Trump has continued to insist that the pool was vandalized and has defended the contractors.
‘They did a beautiful job,’ Trump said of the contractors last week. ‘There were a couple of little things, but that was not a big deal. And everybody saw the vandalism. All you have to do is look at the tape.’
The president said that Pirro was ‘totally wrong.’ Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has backed Trump’s claims that vandals damaged the pool.
Hearn has said he was on a bike ride June 19 when he reached in to examine the pool’s newly peeled coating and briefly touched a chunk attached to the side of the pool. But he said he obeyed a park worker who told him to let go of it.
He faced up to ten years in prison if convicted on the property damage charges which were later dropped.
Workers paint the Reflecting Pool blue on May 14, 2026 under the directive of President Trump
A peeling section of blue coating is seen in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 20
Problems included peeling liner and the emergence of algae which turned the pool’s water a murky green
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been a thorn in the president’s side ever since he took personal oversight of the renovation, which included adding an ‘American flag blue’ liner.
It was one of several ‘beautification’ projects around the capital that Trump had ordered ahead of the July 4 celebration.
But problems soon arose, with the coating peeling off and algae turning the pool’s water a mucky green.
The Daily Mail has approached Hearn’s lawyer, Norman Eisen, for comment. The White House referred the Mail to Trump’s post on Truth Social.
