The Department of Justice dropped charges against former Olympian David Hearn, who'd been accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, admitting the damage to the landmark was caused by a contractor's flawed work.
For months, President Donald Trump insisted vandals damaged the pool's recent $16 million renovations. The president disagreed with the DOJ's ruling in a Truth Social post Aug. 1. "I don’t know what she was thinking?" he said of Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
"To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM."
Pirro's office announced the DOJ would be dropping the charges in a July 31 court filing. The law enforcement agency blamed the ongoing damage to the pool on "flawed installation by the contractor
… and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026."
Several people were arrested and charged with vandalism in connection with the project, including 67-year-old Hearn, an Olympic canoeist who was arrested in June on a felony destruction of property charge. Prosecutors alleged Hearn had caused more than $1,000 in damages to the Reflecting Pool.
What does the Reflecting Pool look like now?
USA TODAY visited the Reflecting Pool on Saturday, Aug. 1, and saw the landmark remained empty and closed off to the public. Visitors expressed their disappointment for being unable to access the monument, which is a hallmark of Washington DC architecture.
How are people responding to the dropped charges?
Justin Saunders, 40, a freelance contractor from Los Angeles, said it's stunning "that it's closed off right now and no one can see it."
When asked what he thought about the arrests, he said: "It's pretty entertaining that's the state that we're in." People should've never been charged for the alleged crimes, he said.
Saunders is in town for a weekend convention and decided to take a break to check out the Reflecting Pool. As an out-of-town visitor, he said the landmark's restricted access wasn't ideal.
"This is supposed to be something everyone wants to see. It's a national monument," he said.
The president announced the Interior Department would undertake additional renovations to the pool following the Fourth of July. USA TODAY has contacted the department for additional information on the timeline for repairs.
'Ridiculous' to allege one person caused so much damage
Ann Marquis, a 63-year-old retiree from Maryland, said the new round of renovations needs to be done properly so the pool "matches the beauty and the magnificence of Washington DC." She's optimistic the administration will correct the installation of pool lining and restore it to what it once was.
Marquis also disagreed with the administration's decision to arrest people for sticking their hands into the pool.
"It was a ridiculous notion that one person could cause that kind of damage," she said.
In Washington, DC, pool visitors often dangle their feet in the water during hot summer months and children will play in the pool to beat the heat.
Mark Ernst, a 61-year-old Maryland retiree, said the progress of the renovations has been annoying but he understands the need for improvements.
"It's not about let's get it back to where it was," he said. "It's about improving it, fixing it, so let's get it fixed and get it running, be done.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Reflecting Pool visitors react to DOJ dropping 'vandalism' charges
