Federal prosecutors have requested the dismissal of charges against former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The U.S. Attorney's Office in D.C. initially charged Hearn with felony destruction of government property, alleging he caused over $1,000 in damage to the pool's newly installed sealant.

However, prosecutors cited new information indicating the damage resulted from a "botched installation" by a contractor, not vandalism. Hearn's attorneys stated the government "owes Mr. Hearn an apology" and that the case "should have never been brought."

President Trump criticized the decision, asserting on Truth Social that "the major damage was caused by VANDALS!" The project, championed by Trump, involved a new sealant application. Shortly after, the material began peeling, and the water turned green. Prosecutors stated they only learned of the flawed installation recently, after the Department of the Interior provided internal documents detailing installation issues and rushed timelines around the America 250 celebration in 2026.