Trump May Ax Pirro After DOJ Drops Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case: Report

President Donald Trump is considering removing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after her office dismissed a felony vandalism charge against a former Olympic athlete accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to sources familiar with the matter.

CNN reported that Trump is "furious" with Pirro over the decision and that it is "highly likely" she could be removed from her position following the court filing that rejected the administration's claim that the damage was caused by vandals.

A source described by CNN as a senior administration official said Trump was "blindsided" by the filing, which stated that the damage was caused by a flawed installation of the Reflecting Pool liner rather than criminal vandalism.

Trump has not publicly confirmed whether he plans to remove Pirro, but he declined to answer directly Monday when asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether he was reconsidering her role.

The president later criticized Pirro's handling of the case, saying she "choked" and "folded like an umbrella" after her office moved to dismiss the charge.

"I'm really disappointed," Trump told reporters.

He also continued to insist the Reflecting Pool was intentionally damaged, saying the administration has evidence showing people cutting the liner with a box knife.

"We have photographs. We have tapes of people cutting it with a box knife," Trump said. "Jeanine Pirro made a mistake. It was vandalism."

Pirro's office on Friday filed a motion to dismiss the felony vandalism charge against David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist who had been accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool.

In the court filing, prosecutors said information later provided by the Department of the Interior showed the damage was caused by a "rushed and flawed installation" of the pool's liner after Hearn had already been indicted.

The filing said the original indictment was based on Interior Department information that attributed the damage to vandals, but later documents indicated the problems were related to the renovation itself.

The decision prompted a sharp rebuke from Trump, who wrote on Truth Social that he disagreed "100%" with Pirro and called the damage "a pure case of VANDALISM."

The dispute centers on a long-running controversy over repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which have been plagued by algae growth and a peeling liner.

Trump has repeatedly argued the damage was deliberate, at one point alleging there was a 250-foot gash and later describing a 300-yard cut, though those claims have been disputed by outside reviews.

A Washington Post analysis based on satellite imagery and interviews with experts found the liner appeared to be peeling in multiple areas, raising questions about whether the problems were caused by installation issues rather than vandalism.

The renovation project, which reportedly grew in cost from an initial estimate of about $1.8 million to roughly $16 million, has also drawn scrutiny from Senate Democrats, who have raised concerns about project management, contracting practices, quality control, and spending.