Following a botched paint job on Washington’s iconic Reflecting Pool, U.S. prosecutors have dropped the vandalism charge against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn and blamed the Interior Department contractor for the damage.
Getty Images – National Guard standing in front of the Reflecting Pool
President Donald Trump had initially described the damage as the work of "sick, deranged" vandals, even claiming a 300‑foot blade had cut a gash into the pool’s facade. The allegation was quickly supported by prosecutors, who filed a grand jury indictment that charged Hearn with vandalizing the monument.
A court filing submitted by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro on Friday changed that narrative, stating that new information from the Department of Interior indicated the damage was the result of a rushed and botched installation overseen by the contractor that had been selected by the Trump administration. The filing also noted that the project was accelerated to finish ahead of the America 250 celebration in early July.
Hearn, who was arrested after saying he had touched the pool following a bike ride, has repeatedly denied that he removed or harmed the paint. His lawyers accused the administration of abuse of power and demanded an apology, saying the case “should have never been brought” and that the government had acted predatory.
The Reflecting Pool had lain under a $16 million renovation this spring, a project that cost far more than the original budget of less than $2 million. The fast‑paced repainting was intended to enhance the capital, but the new blue sealant began peeling off within days, leaving the pool full of algae. Despite the refurbishment, the pool has been drained twice in the last three months and remains empty.
The replacement of vandalism with a contractor error marks a stark reversal by the former president. The claim that the pool damage resulted from a mismanaged interior contract redefines the narrative around the incident and casts questions over the oversight of federal projects.
