Former Olympic Athlete Among Those Arrested for Reflecting Pool Vandalism
Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, 67, was arrested Friday on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property.
The Left has become oddly obsessed with President Donald Trump’s $14 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The Washington Post kicked off the controversy with an article suggesting the project made little noticeable difference in the pool’s appearance. CNN, meanwhile, fixated on the algae bloom that turned the water a vivid shade of green, dispatching a crew to collect water samples and consult experts in what seemed like an effort to portray the renovation as a costly blunder. Buried deep within the report, however, was the key detail that algae blooms are a frequent occurrence after a pool has been drained and refilled. And I’ll get to ABC News‘ Jonathan Karl’s latest round of absurdity later in this post.
CNN to set up a permanent floating news studio on the Reflecting Pool in Washington to bring you the latest breaking algae news. pic.twitter.com/7KI0Mzm4NA
— Planet Of Memes (@PlanetOfMemes) June 18, 2026
But even more troubling than the media’s fixation on the newly refurbished Reflecting Pool are reports of deliberate damage to the pool’s liner.
According to multiple media reports, former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, 67, was arrested Friday on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property after he was observed “interacting with a partially detached section of the pool liner.”
The three-time Olympian vehemently denied responsibility for removing the piece of the liner. He claimed that, at the end of a 52-mile bike ride, he decided to visit the Reflecting Pool to see the results of the renovations when he noticed an already-peeling piece of the liner in the water. He maintains that he merely touched it “to see what it felt like,” and insists that he “didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already being handcuffed.”
An excerpt from The Washington Post:
Noticing a piece of the new “American flag blue” liner that was partially detached from the pool bottom, Hearn said he reached into the water to see what it felt like. Moments later, as the Bethesda man prepared to leave, U.S. Park Police officers arrested him on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property. He is scheduled to appear in D.C. Superior Court on July 9.
Hearn’s arrest ignited a social media flurry as President Donald Trump and his allies blamed the pool overhaul’s problems on administration opponents. Emily Miller, a conservative journalist, posted a 2 minute and 8 second video on X, which showed Hearn detained by two members of the National Guard and subsequently surrounded by Park Police officers.
Here is Miller’s video of Hearn’s arrest. She accused him of grabbing the hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae.
Exclusive! RAW VIDEO. Man arrested for vandalizing Lincoln Reflecting Pool. He grabbed the hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae. Police and National Guard responded. Watch pic.twitter.com/oMIXFqKwEs
— emily miller (@emilymiller) June 19, 2026
NEW: Three-time US Olympian arrested for allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
67-year-old former Olympic canoeist David Hearn says he was finishing up a 52-mile bike ride when he went by the reflecting pool.
Hearn claims he was simply touching a… pic.twitter.com/CLTJ811B72
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 20, 2026
It seems unlikely that Hearn was the one who originally cut the section of liner from the pool because, 90 minutes before posting the video of his arrest, Miller reported that “a man” had been arrested for cutting out a “big piece” of the pool liner.
Additionally, Fox News reported that “multiple people” had been arrested for allegedly vandalizing the Reflecting Pool over the past few days.
According to Miller, “seven people were detained Friday and five people were detained Saturday in separate incidents, which has led to a major security surge.”
EXCLUSIVE: Sabotage the Lincoln Reflecting Pool! Man arrested for cutting out a big piece of blue sealant. Watch: pic.twitter.com/b9EmM8Qdw4
— emily miller (@emilymiller) June 19, 2026
On Thursday, independent journalist Nick Sortor reported that vandals had written “86 47” on the pool lining. He reported that, “mobile SURVEILLANCE TOWERS have been deployed around the pool, along with Park Police and National Guard on 24/7 watch. It’s insane to see that TDS is this bad that death threats are being written into the reflecting pool of the Lincoln Memorial.”
🚨 JUST IN — EXCLUSIVE: United States Park Police are investigating an “86 47” inscription on the sealant of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool
We discovered writing just now while walking the edge of the pool.
This BS needs to end.
This comes as mobile SURVEILLANCE TOWERS… pic.twitter.com/z9aB9xf4wT
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 19, 2026
That discovery came a week after vandals etched “86 47” into the grass on the National Mall.
🚨 WTF?! Leftists just VANDALIZED the National Mall by etching "86-47" into the grass
"Usually means to axe or KILL something."
"47 represents President Trump."
DISGUSTING SCUM!
It's clear what they are doing. They want to take him out. Protect 47 at all costs! 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/xhjqypEnpD
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 11, 2026
At any rate, Trump is understandably angry over the vandalism to the Reflecting Pool as well as the media’s preoccupation with it. He took to Truth Social on Friday night to vent his frustration.
He wrote: “These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail!” He also vowed that repairs to the pool “will begin immediately.”
BREAKING: President Trump on Truth Social: “The United States Park Police have arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Poll. Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments.… pic.twitter.com/zFv8SapjY5
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) June 20, 2026
Oh, yes, ABC News‘ Jonathan Karl. He traveled to the Reflecting Pool last week to conduct what amounted to a theatrical inspection of the renovation. Karl reached down and pulled up the loose piece of the pool liner, triumphantly displaying it to viewers as though he had uncovered evidence of a major scandal. The segment was presented with all the gravity of an investigative exposé, despite the likelihood that the problem was caused by vandalism.
Rather than providing meaningful context, Karl was determined to reinforce the narrative that Trump’s renovation had been a costly failure.
This is such an unforced error, but that's par for the course for the Trump Administration. https://t.co/rlrfdqaxWC
— Jon Easter (@johnnystir) June 18, 2026
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
If this guy says all he did was touch a piece of liner, then I hope they had evidence that he was lying before arresting him. Otherwise as soon as he told them that was all he did they should have released him, for lack of any reason to believe he had done anything wrong.
If they genuinely believe (for some reason) that what the guy admitted to is an offense, then why didn’t they arrest Jonathan Karl? Failing to arrest him means they agree that’s not a crime, so how can what this guy claims he did be one? That’s why I hope for their sakes they have evidence
You can be counted on for the wrong take every time.
Evidently you have nothing to rebut my take, no argument for why my take is wrong, so all you have to resort to is mindless abuse.
If the police had no evidence that vandalized the pool, then arresting him makes them kidnappers, and supporting such an arrest makes you an enemy of our fundamental freedoms, no better than those morons on the left who howl for Trump’s arrest.
They had evidence he was damaging the pool, his intent was defensible.
How do you know they had evidence? What in the story gives you that idea? Did they say they had evidence? Nothing in the story implies that.
There is no law against reaching into the pool to touch a piece of floating material, or even against fishing it out. Nor is there anything wrong with doing so. So if that’s all he did his arrest was false. And if he claims that’s all he did the police can’t just refuse to believe him without evidence that he’s lying.
Not what the article says. Nowhere does it say he removed some free flotsam. He interacted with partially detached liner. If something is peeling, and you pull to help it peel, that’s destruction of property. He apparently is going to claim that he only felt it. He can try to make that case to a jury.
You have no more evidence than LI
Like Comey, there well may be plenty of more evidence
Police either have probable cause or they don’t
I have yet to hear of a finding of no probable cause leading to kidnaping charges
You’ve gone off the deep end and I’m neither lawyer nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night
Take your meds
You mean like every video of an arrest where the the person claims he did nothing wrong? Oh, good enough for me–let em go.
Yes, in any arrest, if the person denies doing anything wrong the police must have enough evidence to constitute probable cause that he’s lying. Here there’s no indication in the story that they had such evidence, and Ms Stauffer says she believes him!
The article states his arrest was for destruction of government property. It also states that he grabbed the hose someone was using to clean the pool. The second alleged crime would be enough to make an arrest as well, I wonder if he was charged for that?
Milhouse… it says there are now mobile surveillance towers around the park and pool that are maned 24/7.
My guess is the biker was observed pulling on the liner…. You know, he was being an A-hole and got caught. (I don’t buy the …”I was just touching it….really!!!”)
Maybe Mr Karl did his bit before the authorities started watching the pool…
I can’t believe this has become such BIG F’ing Deal…!!!!
Some people have lost their minds…..
Ms Stauffer says “It seems unlikely that Hearn was the one who originally cut the section of liner from the pool”. Once it was detached, there was no law against touching it, or even removing it altogether. So to arrest him they’d better have had evidence that he was lying, and he did detach a section of lining from the floor of the pool. And yet you’d think the story would mention such an important fact.
I don’t agree, Milhouse… If the guy was pulling on the liner and making it worse that’s still vandalism, isn’t it?
The dude is 67 yrs old….he knows what a pool liner feels like…! He was just being a dick….
Of course, when he goes to court the charges will probably be dropped and the judge will congratulate him for protecting our democracy….
Removing a “detached” part of a National Memorial is against the Law
Yes, it is. But Milhouse will never admit to that fact.
HIs excuse doesn’t hold water, but showing up to examine the damage is a little much. He didn’t further damage the already torn liner. Remember the guy who waited and waited in Buffalo until the police made a sweep and then stepped into their way? I would have the guy set free but to “protect” him… issue a protection order for him to stay away from the pool for so many months…. for his own good. The TDS is such that they will destroy OUR joint nation’s property for spite on one person.
“Failing to arrest him means they agree that’s not a crime.”
C’mon, man. I get pulled over for driving 70 in a 55 MPH zone. The officer spotted a blonde in a convertible driving 80 MPH less than ten seconds previously but didn’t pursue her. He exercised discretion. By your logic, the officer agreed that driving 80 in a 55 zone is not a crime.
These media jerks are SO stupid – get your facts. How dumb can you be? How much are they getting paid for this stupidity?
BTW, thank you Mr. Comey. One of these jerks will try again to assassinate our president. You thought you were so cute and clever.
NPR has assured us that Trump asserted vandalism without evidence.
Of course they have……
Sure, there are activists that want the reflecting pool renovation to be a big failure. But, if the coating that was put down can be peeled up by hand, then the contractor F’d Up and their coating did not bond to the substrate. The only way that coating should come off is with a grinder. If you can take it off without grinding or sanding it is a failure of application.
Was it a painted coating or a vinyl liner?
When I was a teenager I worked for a company that did in ground vinyl pool liners….
We did some pretty good size pools.
I ask because I read that someone had cut out a big piece of the liner….IDK?
Have you not read that someone had already cut the liner?
Moderator: Is there any chance LI can enable posters to use an ignore feature?
Or edit? Or revise ratings because the options are two millimeters apart?
I need more facts to have an opinion.
Given the near metaphysical certainty that the pool is going to be vandalized, would a detachable liner the best solution?
Anyway, right now it doesn’t look as though David Hearn was demonstrating with Pond Scum Matters.
“The Obama administration spent approximately $34 million on a major two-year reconstruction of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool completed in 2012, not merely a cleaning. Federal records show an additional $1.3 million in related contracts, bringing the total to roughly $35.3 million.”
Can anyone point me to the left’s (or the right’s) objections/protests/vandalism when Obama tried to do it?