President Donald Trump’s administration has announced that it will file felony charges against a former Olympic athlete for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro accused professional canoeist David Hahn, 67, of intentionally destroying the pool at a press conference Thursday.
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“Today, a grand jury returned a felony indictment against defendant David Hahn for felony criminal damage to property, which could result in a sentence of 10 years in prison,” said Pirro, who was appointed by President Trump.
She also called the destruction of national monuments “one of the most disgusting images I’ve ever seen.”
“This unchecked vandalism and social disorder has escalated into criminal activity, and that’s why we’re here today,” Pirro said. “They are an affront to the dignity of our shared history.”
But in media interviews, Hahn denied vandalism and said, like many Americans, he was simply interested in the reflecting pool when he visited on June 19.
The reflecting pool was the subject of renovations that President Trump began in April as part of a broader effort to rebuild Washington, D.C., through controversial construction and maintenance projects.
President Trump awarded a no-bid contract to a company to seal off the granite pool and resurface it in a color he dubbed “Stars and Stripes Blue.” But observers noted that as soon as the pool reopened in early June, algae grew and the blue paint began to peel from the bottom.
Facing criticism over the $13.1 million renovation contract, President Trump countered that vandals sabotaged the reflecting pool.
At least seven people, including Mr Hearn, were arrested on suspicion of damaging the bottom of the blue-painted pool.
Hahn has pleaded not guilty. He said he was cycling by the reflecting pool when he stopped to see the peeling paint and reached into the water to touch it. He denies having removed any part of the pool.
But Pirro described a different scene. He said National Park Service employees witnessed Hahn “forcefully and violently pull up and remove the bottom liner with both hands,” damaging approximately 2 square feet of pool sealant.
“The park employee actually told Hahn to stop what he was doing and stop what he was doing. Hahn responded by yelling at the park employee,” Pirro alleged.
Reporters peppered Pirro with questions about whether charging Hahn with a felony would be unfairly punitive, since similar incidents are considered misdemeanors.
One journalist asked Pirro whether her decision to file a felony charge was influenced by President Trump, who wrote in Truth Social that the 10-year prison sentence for any attempted damage to a reflecting pool “should be carried out in its entirety.”
Mr. Pirro replied, “I am not making any harsh demands. I am making charges based on the evidence.” She argued that Hahn caused more than $1,000 in damage and that he should be charged with a felony.
She also rejected comparisons to the millions of dollars in damage caused by Trump supporters during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Nearly all of these defendants were pardoned on the first day of President Trump’s second term.
“Are you really talking about January 6th? I’m not,” Pirro told one of the reporters. A hearing in Hahn’s case is scheduled for July 9.
On Thursday, preparations for the July 4th fireworks display began at the reflecting pool, with large nets strung across the building.
A police officer at the scene said the net was intended to catch debris that might fall into the pool during the show. The grounds are still fenced off to visitors.
Still, many people come to see the pool and see the controversial renovation firsthand.
Brian Williams, 31, from Roscoe, Georgia, praised President Trump’s efforts to beautify the city. He said it’s normal for algae to grow in pools filled with still water during the hot summer months.
“I don’t think people see any benefit in destroying something,” Williams added. “If there’s something you don’t like about the president, don’t project it on the people’s opinion.”
But others were more skeptical of Trump’s claims. John Delgado, a 40-year-old Navy veteran from Collierville, Tenn., expressed his frustration at seeing the reflecting pool in its current state.
“I came here with my wife and family to show you the beauty of America, the spirit that we fought for,” he said. “It just makes me angry to see it being thrown away in the trash like this.”
Delgado called Trump’s accusations of vandalism at the site “really crazy.”
“We just have to ask ourselves, do we believe this here in America, where we are? Find out for yourself. This has all the pond scum in it and it stinks. There’s no vandalism,” he says.
