President Donald Trump criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for ‘choking’ and ‘folding like an umbrella’ in dismissing charges against U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to NBC Washington. Speaking at an unrelated Oval Office event, Trump avoided questions about whether he would fire Pirro, a former Fox News host and longtime ally he selected as top federal prosecutor in the nation’s capital.

Trump’s Criticism of the Justice Department Move

Trump continued his criticism, expressing disappointment over Pirro’s assessment that the damage to the Reflecting Pool was due to poor construction rather than vandalism. ‘Frankly, I think she choked because the judge was really vicious,’ he said in response to a reporter’s question after signing an executive order for military spouses. ‘Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked.’ He added, ‘I don’t know what the hell happened.’

The decision to drop charges against Hearn was an embarrassing setback for the Justice Department, marking a rare instance in Trump’s second term of a political appointee openly defying the president. After initially posting on social media over the weekend, ‘I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro,’ Trump was still frustrated two days later, insisting that vandalism had marred the project.

Political Reactions and Legal Implications

‘I was disappointed with Jeanine Pirro, really disappointed,’ the president said Monday. ‘She folded like an umbrella.’ Pirro, who has not publicly commented since Trump’s initial criticism, was spotted entering the White House on Monday evening. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who has supported the president’s claims of vandalism, was also seen there.

Hearn has stated that he was on a bike ride on June 19 when he touched a piece of the pool’s coating after being instructed by a park worker to let go of it. Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy criticized Pirro, saying, ‘All I know is, you better not go before a federal judge and make allegations you can’t back up.’ Kennedy, a lawyer and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, added, ‘They are very serious about it,’ and suggested that Hearn may file for compensation under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

Contractor Controversy and Project Delays

Charges were also dropped against three other individuals accused of removing paint from the Reflecting Pool, according to online court records. Justin Carreno, Cameron Thiers, and Sophie Dennison-Gibby had all pleaded not guilty during their initial court appearances last month. They were accused of destruction of property with a value less than $1,000.

Trump further distanced himself from the troubled Reflecting Pool project, which he had as part of efforts to improve the nation’s capital. In April, he claimed he had consulted with firms that had worked on his swimming pools and selected Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based firm, for the project. The company was awarded a $14.7 million no-bid contract to repaint and waterproof the pool’s concrete floor.

Trump stated on Monday that he ‘didn’t know the contractor,’ contradicting his earlier comments. He also hinted at dissatisfaction with the work done to prepare the Reflecting Pool for Independence Day celebrations, saying, ‘I’m not saying I was 100% thrilled with the contractor, but the contractor was rushing. We wanted to get it open for July 4th.’

Crews had drained the Reflecting Pool weeks ago to begin new repairs, but the White House has not provided a timeline or cost estimate for the project. The administration did not seek new bids from other companies for the new round of repairs. Trump also stated that the pool would be ‘fixed’ and reopened within the next week and a half to two weeks, without providing further details.