Trump blames vandalism after the failure to repair Lincoln’s pond
3 august 2026 в 16:28
They said it was impossible… and indeed, it was impossible. No reputable pool contractor agreed to meet Donald Trump’s demand to install a new shell and nanobubble technology in the reflecting pool of the Lincoln Memorial by July 4th. As a result, Trump awarded the contract without bidding to his contractor, and since the work was «completed», - this monument has turned into a swamp with algae, a peeling liner, and dead ducks. Of course, Trump cannot admit his fault or failure, so he spent the summer blaming the pool’s dismal state on «vandals»! On June 19, his aides arrested an alleged vandal, former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, after he merely touched a floating piece of the liner. U.S. Attorney for Fox News DC, Jeanine Pirro, accused Hearn of damaging government property worth $ 1,000, to which Hearn pleaded not guilty last month. At the time, I hoped the charges would be dropped before Hearn’s next scheduled court date on August 5. Well, it seems Pirro doesn’t want to lose her license because of Trump, because guess who just filed to drop the charges?
Pirro had previously harshly criticized Hearn at a press conference on July 2, claiming he «horribly destroyed property» in a «deliberate act» of damage to the monument, «pulling the pool liner with force and violence». However, a court statement on Friday noted that the recently applied blue sealant at the bottom of the pool began to peel «almost immediately» after the repair work was completed last month.
According to a statement from Pirro’s office, the Department of the Interior «provided insufficient information at the outset of this case». Only after the charges were filed did a federal agent determine that «the damage was the result of a botched installation, not vandalism».
«The Trump administration’s case against David Hearn should never have been brought», - said Hearn’s attorneys Norm Eisen from the Democracy Defenders Fund, Mary Dorman from the Washington Legal Group, and Steve Levin from Steptoe LLP in an interview with The Independent. «Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was 'ready, shoot, aim.' The administration should apologize to Mr. Hearn», - they added.
This shallow pool, which the president has repeatedly touted as «bigger than skyscrapers», - was renovated in a dark blue color and equipped with «modern nanobubble technology» to combat the algae blooms that have long plagued the monument. Algae returned shortly after the repairs were completed, and the new sealant began to peel off in chunks that floated to the surface.
Trump initially claimed that the project to repair the 2,030-foot pool could be completed quickly for $ 1.5 million in time for the Independence Day celebration backed by the White House. His administration has already spent $ 14.7 million, with all funds directed to Atlantic Industrial Coatings LLC of Virginia, according to federal spending reports.
The administration bypassed the usual competitive bidding process and awarded the company a no-bid contract, claiming that the need for repairs was so urgent that any delays could cause «serious harm» to the government, although it is unclear what exactly is meant by this «harm».
The pool is once again closed and drained for further repairs.
[From The Independent via Yahoo]
Jeanine Pirro, a month ago and with full confidence at a press conference: «We can assert and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he caused the damage». Pirro, last Friday quietly in a court statement: «In fact, all the damage was 'the result of a botched contractor installation,' not mythical vandals, oops, our mistake». I will rephrase that second quote, except for the part about the botched contractor installation. And here’s what we also learned from recent court documents: the pool was leaking 1 million gallons a week before Hearn’s arrest on June 19. Yes, because that’s exactly what happens when…
Pirro had previously harshly criticized Hearn at a press conference on July 2, claiming he «horribly destroyed property» in a «deliberate act» of damage to the monument, «pulling the pool liner with force and violence». However, a court statement on Friday noted that the recently applied blue sealant at the bottom of the pool began to peel «almost immediately» after the repair work was completed last month.
According to a statement from Pirro’s office, the Department of the Interior «provided insufficient information at the outset of this case». Only after the charges were filed did a federal agent determine that «the damage was the result of a botched installation, not vandalism».
«The Trump administration’s case against David Hearn should never have been brought», - said Hearn’s attorneys Norm Eisen from the Democracy Defenders Fund, Mary Dorman from the Washington Legal Group, and Steve Levin from Steptoe LLP in an interview with The Independent. «Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was 'ready, shoot, aim.' The administration should apologize to Mr. Hearn», - they added.
This shallow pool, which the president has repeatedly touted as «bigger than skyscrapers», - was renovated in a dark blue color and equipped with «modern nanobubble technology» to combat the algae blooms that have long plagued the monument. Algae returned shortly after the repairs were completed, and the new sealant began to peel off in chunks that floated to the surface.
Trump initially claimed that the project to repair the 2,030-foot pool could be completed quickly for $ 1.5 million in time for the Independence Day celebration backed by the White House. His administration has already spent $ 14.7 million, with all funds directed to Atlantic Industrial Coatings LLC of Virginia, according to federal spending reports.
The administration bypassed the usual competitive bidding process and awarded the company a no-bid contract, claiming that the need for repairs was so urgent that any delays could cause «serious harm» to the government, although it is unclear what exactly is meant by this «harm».
The pool is once again closed and drained for further repairs.
[From The Independent via Yahoo]
Jeanine Pirro, a month ago and with full confidence at a press conference: «We can assert and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he caused the damage». Pirro, last Friday quietly in a court statement: «In fact, all the damage was 'the result of a botched contractor installation,' not mythical vandals, oops, our mistake». I will rephrase that second quote, except for the part about the botched contractor installation. And here’s what we also learned from recent court documents: the pool was leaking 1 million gallons a week before Hearn’s arrest on June 19. Yes, because that’s exactly what happens when…
© Zhinobaeva Margarita
