Framed Olympian plots legal revenge over Trump’s 'continued harassment'

Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn exits the courthouse following his arraignment on at DC Superior Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 9, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

As President Donald Trump was drawing intense criticism over the damage the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool suffered, he turned his anger against former Olympian David Hearn — accusing him, without evidence, of vandalizing the pool. Now, according to Hearn's attorneys, he is considering legal action against Trump in response to the false accusation.

Hearn's attorneys — Democracy Defenders Fund's Norm Eisen, the Washington Litigation Group's Mary Dohrmann, and Steptoe LLP's Steve Levin — told Mediaite, "The government is continuing to attack an innocent man. Our first filing in the case on July 10 included photographic evidence from before Mr. Hearn touched the Reflecting Pool proving that he caused no damage. Our other filings provided even more proof. Finally, the U.S. Attorney's own motion on July 31 admitted the damage was caused by a 'botched installation and not vandalism.' We are reviewing all legal remedies, including for this continued harassment. It is outrageous."

Federal prosecutor and Trump appointee Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host, dropped the case against Hearn on July 31 — acknowledging that allegations she got from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum didn't pass the smell test.

According to Pirro, "the damage" that the Reflecting Pool suffered "was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism as initially represented by DOI."

Trump addressed the matter in a Sunday, August 9 post on his Truth Social platform, claiming, "ALERT: A National Park Service career employee, a highly credible witness, saw David Hearn (ActBlue) in broad daylight vandalize the Reflecting Pool by ‘violently’ ripping and tugging at the Pool's somewhat delicate coating."

Trump went on to write, "The National Park Service employee provided this witness testimony to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in early July, as seen below. Numerous other events took place, including using an acid like material on the just installed grass adjoining the Pool. On it were written the letters, '86 47,' a phrase probably gotten from James Comey. There was substantial other damage to the Reflecting Pool, also but, unfortunately, there is no video or proof, other than the damage, itself. We are working on the Pool, and it will reopen shortly. As with many jobs, there was also some contractor error done by rushing the job for a July 4th opening, but it was a very small area of this massive Pool, and was relatively inconsequential. Security cameras have been, and are being, installed. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

But Trump got a fact-check from journalist Paul Farhi.

On X, formerly Twitter, Farhi posted, "So it was all a coverup? By the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney? The Trump-appointed U.S. attorney who loyally stood by the president every night on her national television show, including going to bat for his election lies? Which cost her employer $787.5 million? Heckuva coverup."

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