Federal prosecutors have dropped vandalism charges against three people accused of damaging the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, following the earlier dismissal of the case against David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist. The decision, announced by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, hinges on newly released Department of the Interior evidence suggesting the damage stemmed from a botched contractor installation rather than deliberate vandalism, undercutting the initial narrative used to justify the arrests.

Hearn had faced a felony charge of property destruction exceeding $1,000, while the three others, Justin Carreno, Dr Sophie Dennison-Gibby and Cameron Thiers, faced lesser misdemeanour charges. Pirro said it was "difficult to attribute the widespread damage… to vandalism," pointing instead to rushed, substandard work carried out to meet deadlines for the America 250 celebrations at the $14 million pool, which was refilled in early June but quickly showed algae growth and peeling paint. The reversal contradicts earlier public statements from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and President Trump, who had both blamed vandals for the damage.