Judge Warns Trump About Ongoing Reflecting Pool Work During Ex-Olympian Trial

Topline

A judge in Washington, D.C. warned the Trump administration it may be “operating at its own peril” if it continues work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as attorneys work to collect evidence related to the vandalism charge faced by ex-Olympian David Hearn.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained last week. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman set a trial date of Sept. 28 for Hearn, who is accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool while on a bike ride in June, which he has denied.

During a hearing Monday, Edelman reportedly questioned why the government would not “maintain the status quo” of the pool, which has been drained and surveyed by federal agents in recent weeks, and warned the government to “not do anything further” amid the trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Reddington reportedly told Edelman prosecutors asked the government “to hold the site as a whole,” but said they do not have control over what they do.

Hearn has pleaded not guilty to a felony vandalism charge, which could carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Was The Reflecting Pool Vandalized?

Trump has repeatedly claimed vandals have damaged the pool, though his claims about the alleged damage have ranged from a 250 long gash to a 300 yard cut, which would equal 900 feet. In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump warned the alleged vandals would be “prosecuted to the MAX,” saying crews are “looking for a Vandal Proof material, but such a thing should not have been necessary.” At least seven people have been arrested in connection with alleged vandalism. But the pool, which is now drained, does not appear to have visible signs of damage. CNN reporters who visited the pool said there are no obvious signs of vandalism, but noted some of the view is obstructed by fencing. A Washington Post analysis, based on satellite imagery and interviews with experts, found the lining appears to be peeling in about seven places, indicating potential problems with how it was installed.

What Do We Know About Hearn’s Charge?

Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist, said he biked near the reflecting pool on June 19 and reached down to grab a flap of the pool’s liner that appeared to already be peeling, though he said he did not “destroy or break or peel anything.” Hearn’s lawyer Norm Eisen has said every American “should be alarmed by this prosecution,” calling Hearn a “scapegoat” for the Trump administration’s “failures” to repair the pool.

key background

The Trump administration’s repairs to the pool have been plagued by ballooning costs, persistent algae and a peeling liner. The project has totaled an estimated $16 million and is one of many concurrent beautification efforts the administration has launched across Washington. Construction is underway at the White House on a new helipad, ballroom, fortification of the front door and repairs to stone columns, while the Kennedy Center is still controversially draped in tarps as workers repair the marble facade. The New York Times estimated the cost of 18 construction projects across Washington at about $1.2 billion.

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