White House asked Department of Justice to revisit reflecting pool vandalism case against former Olympian, outlet reports

The White House has asked the Department of Justice to weigh possible new charges in a criminal case involving David Hearn, a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, according to The Guardian. The request comes after a U.S. attorney dropped vandalism charges, leaving the matter without a prosecution tied to that specific allegation.

The reflecting pool case, which drew national attention, centered on allegations that the damage to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool occurred during an incident that prosecutors later declined to pursue. The Guardian reported that the White House is pressing DOJ to review whether additional or renewed charges could be brought, rather than letting the matter end with the earlier decision to drop the case.

The outlet said a person familiar with the matter described White House efforts to have DOJ assess potential charges against Hearn. The report also tied the White House interest to President Donald Trump’s stated anger about the earlier handling of the case, as described by the outlet. The Guardian did not provide a DOJ filing or White House document in the reporting excerpt, and no court docket details were confirmed in the information provided for this draft.

A decision by DOJ to pursue new charges would restart major steps in the criminal process. Depending on what prosecutors seek, the government would need to identify a charging theory and venue, confirm admissible evidence, and comply with applicable federal rules and constitutional requirements. It would also reopen questions about accountability for alleged damage to a federal memorial and how federal prosecutors decide whether a case is viable after an initial decline.

The shift from a dropped prosecution to a renewed federal review would also carry practical implications for how federal law is enforced in high-profile public-property cases. In such matters, prosecutors typically weigh the strength of evidence, potential defenses, and the public interest in deterrence and closure. DOJ could also decide that no additional charges are appropriate if it concludes the evidence does not support a legally sufficient case.

If DOJ agrees to pursue further action, the next steps would likely include consultations within the department and preparation for any new court filing, which would then be subject to judicial review. If DOJ declines, the case would remain closed to the extent of the prior prosecutorial decision, and any further oversight would depend on existing internal review processes and any actions available to defendants or oversight authorities.