Key facts
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum maintains vandalism caused damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's new lining.
- Burgum confirmed the administration will not seek new bids for repairs, citing the original company's "fantastic job."
- Former Olympian David Hearn faces felony charges for property destruction related to the pool.
- Hearn's legal team disputes the charges, calling them a "misuse of government power."
- No-bid contracts for the pool project were awarded to companies with prior ties to President Trump.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that vandalism caused damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's new lining, defending the administration's decision not to seek new bids for repairs. Burgum insisted that the damage, including multiple cuts to the liner, was the result of deliberate acts by vandals, despite one charged individual denying involvement.
President Donald Trump had previously claimed a 350-foot gash was cut into the pool's liner. Burgum indicated the pool would need to be partially drained for repairs and affirmed that the same company would be used for the work, stating they "did a fantastic job."
Former Olympian David Hearn has been indicted on felony destruction of property charges for allegedly ripping up sealant on the pool. His lawyers, Norm Eisen and Mary Dohrmann, called the charges "outrageous" and a "misuse of government power."
Questions have been raised about the no-bid contracts awarded for the project, totaling over $16 million, to companies with prior ties to Trump. These contracts were for a water-purification system and for repainting and waterproofing the pool's concrete floor. Several Democratic lawmakers are investigating the project.
Burgum did not directly answer whether photographic evidence of vandals cutting the pool's liner existed and stated that the courts would decide Hearn's penalty.