Former Olympian David Hearn says he is being unfairly singled out after his arrest at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, for which he now faces a misdemeanor charge tied to the controversial $14 million renovation project championed by President Donald Trump. Hearn, 67, insists he committed no crime and says he is planning to fight the allegation in court. The dispute comes as the Trump administration intensified claims that vandalism — not construction flaws — is responsible for ongoing problems at the landmark site.
Former Olympian arrested at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Hearn, a former Olympic canoe racer who lives in Bethesda, Md., was detained by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police on Friday, June 19, after he reached into the Reflecting Pool to inspect paint that appeared to be peeling from the newly renovated surface. Authorities charged him with destruction of government property, a misdemeanor that can carry penalties of up to a $100,000 fine or one year in jail if damage does not exceed $100, according to the Department of Justice.
“I did nothing wrong,” Hearn told Newsweek on Tuesday, June 23.
He also told The Washington Post that he picked up a piece of paint that was already flaking off and did not remove any material from the pool. “I didn’t vandalize anything. … I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs,” he said.
David Hearn to contest charges against him in court
Hearn said he believes he is being unfairly highlighted as the Trump administration promotes allegations of widespread vandalism at the Reflecting Pool. “I think I might be the only person whose name is public of those arrests or citations,” he said. “I feel like I was targeted and I’m feeling singled out — definitely.”
He also expressed concern about the potential consequences of the case — “especially with the current posture of the government toward ignoring the rule of law and people’s civil rights and such,” he said.
His attorney, Norm Eisen, said Hearn will contest the charge when he appears in D.C. Superior Court on July 9.
Donald Trump and the White House defend vandalism claims
Hearn’s arrest comes as Trump and his administration argue that deliberate acts of vandalism are responsible for damage at the Reflecting Pool. On Tuesday, Trump announced that six people had been arrested in connection to alleged vandalism at the historic site. He claimed a “350 foot gash” in the pool liner was intentionally created with “a very sharp knife or razors.”
“It was purposefully and criminally done,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that repairs will require draining part of the pool around the Fourth of July.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who returned from maternity leave on June 22, defended the Trump administration’s position during a Fox News appearance. She said officials had documented “17 police reports” and “six arrests” connected to incidents at the site and insisted the vandalism claims were “very real.”
Renovation project faces continued scrutiny
The Reflecting Pool renovation project is facing significant criticism over algae that appeared soon after the pool was refilled and reports emerged that portions of the blue coating on the pool floor were flaking away. Critics have described the project as mismanaged and wasteful. Among them is Trump’s estranged niece, Mary Trump, who argued, “No other president would … spend $14 million of taxpayer dollars to fix something that wasn’t broken just to enrich one of his cronies.”
However, Leavitt rejected those criticisms and said the Trump administration remains committed to the project. “President Trump is not going to stop with this effort,” she said. “We’re going to not only hold those people accountable, but we’re going to fix the pool … continue to make it beautiful from this despicable vandalism just in time to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday next week.”
