Trump 'disagrees 100%' with US attorney dropping case against canoeist

President Donald Trump on Saturday publicly rejected US Attorney Jeanine Pirro's decision to seek dismissal of felony vandalism charges against US Olympic canoeist David Hearn, declaring he "disagrees 100%" with her assessment that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool resulted from contractor error rather than criminal conduct.

Trump rejects dismissal bid

In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned Pirro's reversal in the case involving allegations that Hearn damaged the Reflecting Pool's liner and surrounding grass, which bore the numbers "86 47" in giant letters. "I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool. I don't know what she was thinking?" Trump wrote. He insisted the incident represented pure vandalism targeting the memorial grounds, rejecting suggestions that contractor error caused the damage.

Pirro filed a motion Friday asking the DC Superior Court to drop the indictment against Hearn, who was charged in early July with felony destruction of property. Prosecutors had initially alleged Hearn "violently" tore the Reflecting Pool liner with his bare hands. In her Friday filing, Pirro said new evidence obtained after the indictment significantly undermined the evidentiary basis for the charges, determining the sealant damage stemmed from a "flawed installation" rather than vandalism.

Defense demands apology

Hearn's attorneys told CNBC the prosecution should never have proceeded against the athlete. "The Trump administration's case against Davey Hearn should have never been brought," they said. "The government's approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology," the lawyers added, noting Hearn was indicted in early July following the alleged incident at the Lincoln Memorial.