U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro presented Donald Trump with a box full of evidence that exonerated alleged vandals of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after the president criticized her decision to drop felony charges against an Olympic canoeist accused of damaging the landmark, according ro reports.
Pirro arrived at the White House on Monday carrying a large white box and additional documents that she used during an Oval Office meeting with Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and White House Counsel David Warrington, The New York Times reported.
The meeting came just hours after Trump blasted Pirro, saying she had "folded like an umbrella" and "choked" by dismissing the case against Hearn.
Trump has maintained that vandals were responsible for the damage, while Burgum also defended that position over the weekend, insisting on social media that "the evidence is clear."
Pirro's office, however, filed a detailed motion Friday dismissing the felony charge against Hearn, arguing prosecutors received incomplete and misleading information from the Interior Department before obtaining an indictment.
The filing said newly reviewed evidence showed the Reflecting Pool suffered from a "rushed and botched installation," with damage appearing throughout the liner — including areas that would have been inaccessible to alleged vandals.
According to the reports, Pirro forcefully challenged Burgum during the Oval Office meeting, accusing him of misleading the president about the source of the damage.
Burgum reportedly defended his department's actions while Trump listened to both sides.
The Justice Department has also moved to dismiss charges against three other individuals accused of vandalizing the pool after reviewing the newly obtained evidence.
The episode underscores growing tensions within the Trump administration over the handling of the high-profile case.
While Pirro has been one of Trump's most loyal allies, she reportedly concluded that continuing the prosecution was untenable after reviewing thousands of pages of evidence and determining the government could not prove the damage resulted from vandalism.
Trump indicated Tuesday that he remains dissatisfied with Pirro's decision but has not yet decided whether she will remain in her position.
"I just think she was totally wrong," Trump told reporters. "I haven't made a determination" about her future, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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