Trump Mulls Removing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro Over Reflecting-Pool Dismissals

President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing the removal of U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro after her office moved to dismiss criminal charges tied to damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. A Justice Department filing this week concluded that the pool’s newly installed blue liner was compromised by a “rushed and flawed installation process” rather than by vandalism, prompting the dismissal of a felony case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn and three misdemeanor cases.

The Guardian

The Reflecting Pool has undergone a $14-$15 million renovation aimed at repairing long-standing leaks. President Trump repeatedly blamed alleged vandals for the damage, linking the issue to a potential felony charge.

New York Times

• July 1 – A National Park Service email noted the pool needed to be drained because of algae, contradicting earlier statements about vandalism.

CNN

• June 19 – Documents obtained by Pirro’s office showed the liner was already damaged before Hearn entered the water.

The Guardian

• Friday – The Justice Department filed a motion dropping the felony indictment against Hearn and later moved to dismiss three misdemeanor cases.

CNN

• Saturday – Pirro and Trump spoke by phone; the conversation was described as “not pretty.”

CNN

• Renovation cost: $14 million (Justice Department filing) and $15 million (Interior Department contract).

CNN

• Defendants affected: four (Hearn plus three others).

CNN

• Potential penalty for Hearn’s original felony: up to 10 years imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.

New York Times

• Contractor: Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based firm awarded a no-bid contract.

New York Times

• Justice Department: The filing stated the pool damage resulted from a “flawed installation” and that it was dropping the criminal case against Hearn.

CNN

• Jeanine Pirro: Her filing argued that the Department of the Interior had provided “less than fulsome information” and that evidence of vandalism was insufficient.

CNN

• Donald Trump: “Frankly, I think she choked, because the judge was really vicious…”

CNN

Internal communications between the National Park Service and DC Water made no mention of vandalism, focusing instead on drainage and algae treatment. The Justice Department now attributes the damage to contractor error, while President Trump continues to assert vandalism, highlighting a divergence between agency findings and presidential statements.

CNN

• “Frankly, I think she choked, because the judge was really vicious. Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked,” — Donald Trump

CNN

Sources close to the White House say removal of Pirro is “highly likely,” though no formal decision has been announced. Hearn’s legal team will respond to the dismissal motion, and the Justice Department has not indicated whether it will reopen the investigation or pursue civil remedies against the contractor.

CNN