Trump '100% Disagrees' With Pirro on Reflecting Pool Vandalism
Newsweek · C · trust 65/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. President Donald Trump said he "disagree[s] 100%" with interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro over her assessment of damage caused during the Reflecting Pool vandalism case, marking a rare public split between the president and one of his own appointees.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump criticized Pirro's findings that Reflecting Pool had been caused by "flawed instillation," rather than vandalism as she moved to dismiss felony charges against Olympian David Hearn.
"I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool," Trump wrote. "I don't know what she was thinking?"
"To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass, which had a big 86 47 emblazoned in giant letters on it, and other elements of the surrounding area," he continued. "There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!"
The statement directly contradicts the position taken by Pirro's office when prosecutors sought to dismiss the case earlier this week.
Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss charges against Hearn after determining that newly obtained evidence showed contractors—not Hearn—were responsible for much of the damage to the Reflecting Pool.
Court filings acknowledged that although Hearn participated in a demonstration near the pool, investigators could not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that he caused the alleged property damage cited in the criminal complaint.
The case stemmed from a May protest in which demonstrators entered the Reflecting Pool and displayed political messages, including "86 47" on the surrounding lawn. The slogan has generated political controversy, with some Trump allies arguing it amounted to a threat against the president, while others have characterized it as protected political expression.
This is breaking news, updates to follow.
Read the original at Newsweek →
Open in TruthVane →