DOJ verdict on Reflecting Pool damages undermines Trump vandalism narrative

The DOJ filed to drop the felony vandalism case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn after saying the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool damage was caused by botched installation by a contractor, not vandalism. The filing also accuses the Interior Department of withholding information that would have shown the error and prevented the indictment. The development undercuts Trump’s public claims of vandalism and suggests the prosecution served political aims, highlighting how the Reflecting Pool renovation became a political flashpoint.