Trump persists in false claim of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism, contradicting court admission

Published Aug 5, 03:42 PM UTC

President Donald Trump continues to assert that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was vandalized, contradicting D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who admitted in court that no vandalism occurred. Speaking to reporters in Los Angeles, Trump defended the renovation contractor and claimed video evidence and witnesses exist, though no such evidence was presented in charging documents. The Department of Justice's main witness actually undermined the case. The controversy stems from a botched renovation by Greenwater Services, which used hydrogen peroxide that caused Trump's chosen paint to peel. Trump, Pirro, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum reportedly had a screaming match over the case. All charges against accused individuals, including former Olympian David Hearn, have been dropped.