Donald Trump‘s $14 million Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation has become a costly headache that refuses to go away.
After the president blamed vandals for damaging the pool’s sealant, an Olympic athlete found himself facing felony charges over the alleged destruction.
Prosecutors eventually dropped the case, and officials pointed to a botched installation as the cause of the damage. The fallout is far from over and now the athlete is demanding accountability,
Among those who visited the memorial before officials fenced it off was Olympic canoeist David Hearn.
During a June 19 bicycle ride, Hearn stopped at the pool and reached in to touch the synthetic liner. Authorities later apprehended him and accused him of damaging the pool.
The DOJ indicted Hearn on felony property destruction, a charge that carries up to 10 years in jail.
The athlete maintained his innocence and was vindicated in August when U.S. Attorney General Jeanine Pirro dropped the charges against him and others.
“It is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,” the Attorney’s Office said in a released statement.
Moreover, they blamed “botched installation” for the sealant disaster.
This month, Hearn demanded the DOJ investigate alleged “incompetence and misconduct” in his case, but the agency refused.
They claim the probe is within the jurisdiction of the Office of Professional Responsibility.
The letter to “watchdogs” accused the DOJ of ignoring evidence that proved Hearn’s innocence and urged the inspector general to investigate potential ethical violations.
“Your decision not to investigate would be consigning these serious allegations to oblivion despite the enormous public interest in the matter and the absence thus far of any accountability for the individuals involved,” the letter states, per The Associated Press.
The latest update prompted a Facebook user to declare, “Discovery is something they don’t want in the open.” Another agreed, writing, “Naturally. It would expose they lied from the start.”
People urged Hearn to formally sue Trump for blaming him. “He should be reimbursed [for] anything he spent while they decided,” a third user remarked.
Some believe a deeper investigation could uncover a bigger truth: the full extent of the damage and identify who should answer for it.
A fourth person accused the DOJ watchdog of shielding the president from any further scrutiny, “The watchdog didn’t walk past the scene; he sniffed the complaint, hiked his leg, and marked it. That’s not oversight, that’s contempt with paperwork.”
Another pointed out, “Trump’s pool guy already admitted that his people didn’t do it right the first time! Trump is the one who won’t let it go!”
The president granted a no-bid contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings. Contractors resurfaced the basin this summer. It briefly reopened after a three-month closure in time for the July 4th weekend.
However, the site abruptly closed days later when large chunks of the “American flag blue” coating began floating to the surface.
Passersby touched the debris, while others picked up chunks and posted them on social media.
Workers drained the Reflecting Pool for repairs in July, and Trump claimed this month that they had nearly finished the work.
He asserted that it would be refilled the week of Oct. 6, but as of Oct. 22, it remains mostly empty. He recently exploded on Pirro’s office on Truth Social.
Trump believes her team “got it wrong and obviously didn’t investigate, witness…or didn’t inspect the vast area of cut and slashed pool surface.”
D.C. “Running Reporter” Emily Miller visited the site on Oct. 20, noting there was no “rippling” in the water, which means “they are not filling it.” She also noted that the key to turn on the water, which had been there days earlier, was missing.
Miller also debunked claims that they are repairing old pipes lining the pool. “It would cost a fortune,” said Miller. “It would take a really long time. We don’t want that.”
Instead, she said Trump needs to deliver on his promise to waterproof the sealant to prevent leaking.
Miller reports she’s confirmed that a new nanobubbler system was installed to stop algae overgrowth — yet another problem that contributed to the pool’s closure this summer.
New problems for the Lincoln Reflecting Pool! Deadline passed today. Plus I fact check the algae and pipe claims. New video! https://t.co/4LQ4273Ite
— emily miller (@emilymiller) October 20, 2026
