Three-time Olympian David Hearn is learning the hard way that the Trump administration is serious about enforcing the law and holding people accountable for their actions. Hearn has formally been indicted for allegedly destroying the lining at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The former Olympian was indicted in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of destruction of property worth $1,000 or more, which is a felony that could land him in prison for a decade.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host, announced the charges against Hearn on July 2, 2026, during a press conference, stating that Hearn will face “accountability” for his actions. “The indictment is in response to an incident that occurred on June 19 of 2026 in which the defendant Hearn ripped a piece of recently installed sealant on the bottom of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial,” she told members of the press.
“The evidence shows, we will prove beyond a reasonable doubt, that Hearn willfully destroyed property at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool,” Pirro continued. She then stated that Hearn was “forcefully and violently” pulling up the liner of the pool. Pirro then told reporters that Hearn “damaged approximately two square feet of sealant from the bottom of the pool.”
According to a report from ABC News, the U.S. attorney stated that an employee with the National Parks Service told the former Olympian to stop, but he allegedly yelled at the worker and continued his destructive behavior. Pirro said Hearn was rude to the employee. The report stated that Hearn did not use a weapon, but used his hands to inflict damage on the pool.
Hearn previously spoke with ABC News and claimed that he was arrested for simply touching a piece of blue coating that was partially detached from the bottom of the Reflecting Pool. The Olympic canoeist claimed he was on a bike ride and stopped by the pool as a “curious, concerned citizen” and that he “was able to reach out and touch the edge of that that was still attached at the bottom and handled it a little bit.”
“I did not remove, I did not damage, I did not rip, tear, break, destroy or harm any part of the Reflecting Pool,” Hearn told the outlet. Norm Eisen, co-founder and executive chairman of Democracy Defenders Fund, along with Mary Dohrmann, senior counsel at Washington Litigation Group, said, “Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American.”
“This indictment reflects the administration’s effort to shift blame for their own failures,” they continued. “On the eve of our nation’s Independence Day, Americans should be deeply concerned by the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a concocted narrative. The justice system exists to determine facts, not to provide political cover.”
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The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been experiencing issues with both algae and peeling paint since the renovation project was completed in June, which President Donald Trump said is the result of vandals. The president revealed that one individual used a boxcutter or knife to make a 300-foot gash in the pool. ABC News asked Pirro about that specific incident during the press conference.
“Someone intentionally did a tremendous amount of damage to the pool, and you can actually see where all the cutting is,” the U.S. attorney responded. Pirro was then asked if she could provide a picture of the damage. “When I file a charge, I’ll be happy to show you a picture, alright? What I’m trying to do, is we’re trying to find out who did it, OK. And until we get to that point, I’m not going to be able to, you know, discuss anything more than there was tremendous damage that was caused,” she replied.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video