Trump Reportedly Considers Firing Jeanine Pirro Over Reflecting Pool—Says She ‘Choked’

Aug 04, 2026 02:15 AM - 4 hours ago 7

Topline

President Donald Trump is considering removing U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro aft her agency chose to driblet Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool-related vandalism charges, CNN reported, saying she “choked” and “folded for illustration an umbrella.”

Trump said Pirro "choked" aft her agency dropped a vandalism complaint against ex-Olympian David Hearn. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

Unnamed sources acquainted pinch Trump’s reasoning told CNN the president is “furious” pinch Pirro and fumed each play astir her determination to driblet the vandalism charges, pinch 1 root saying it is “highly apt she’s removed from her job.”

Another source, whom CNN says is simply a elder management official, said Trump was “blindsided” by the tribunal filing Pirro’s agency made that dropped the complaint and alternatively blamed the Reflecting Pool’s problems connected a “botched” renewal by the Interior Department.

Trump refused to reply a newsman who asked whether he would reconsider Pirro’s domiciled successful the Oval Office connected Monday, saying, “You’re clone news. Don’t ever talk again.”

Trump, though, heaped disapproval connected Pirro connected Monday, telling reporters she “choked” and “folded for illustration an umbrella,” adding he was “really disappointed” pinch her decision.

Trump doubled down connected his claims the Reflecting Pool was damaged by vandals, telling reporters the management has “photographs” and “tapes” that show group “cutting it pinch a container knife,” adding, “Jeanine Pirro made a mistake. It was vandalism.”

Why Is Trump ‘Furious’ At Jeanine Pirro?

In a melodramatic reversal connected Friday, Pirro’s agency revenge a motion to disregard a felony vandalism complaint against David Hearn, a 67-year-old ex-Olympic canoeist, because the harm done to the Reflecting Pool “was the consequence of a botched installation and not vandalism.” The mobility contradicted Trump’s longstanding declare that the Reflecting Pool was vandalized and his vow that the alleged vandals would beryllium “prosecuted to the MAX.” Pirro’s tribunal filing prompted a swift rebuke from Trump complete the weekend, who said successful a post connected Truth Social, “I disagree 100% pinch Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, connected the Reflecting Pool. I don’t cognize what she was thinking?” calling the harm to the excavation “a axenic lawsuit of VANDALISM.”

Why Did Pirro Drop The Vandalism Charge?

In the tribunal filing, Pirro said the Department of the Interior only provided documents to her agency that suggested harm to the Reflecting Pool was owed to a “rushed and flawed installation” of the pool’s lining aft it had already issued Hearn’s indictment. The indictment had been made based connected the Interior Department’s declare that vandals were to blasted for the damage, Pirro’s filing says. Had the Interior Department been “forthcoming pinch the accusation intelligibly successful its possession, the authorities would not person sought a expansive assemblage indictment,” the filing says.

key background

The Trump administration’s repairs to the Reflecting Pool person been plagued pinch persistent algae and a peeling liner, though Trump has consistently blamed alleged vandals for the damage. In posts connected Truth Social and successful comments to reporters, Trump’s claims astir the excavation harm person varied—he erstwhile alleged location is simply a 250-foot gash, and different clip alleged location is simply a 300-yard gash, which would adjacent 900 feet, though the draining of the excavation did not look to uncover specified a cut. A Washington Post study of the pool, based connected outer imagery and conversations pinch experts, recovered the lining appears to beryllium peeling successful astir 7 places, indicating evident problems pinch its installation. The administration’s renewal of the pool, which reportedly ballooned successful costs from astir $1.8 cardinal to $16 million, is facing a probe from Senate Democrats, who said the repairs person raised “serious questions astir task management, contracting practices, value control, and fiscal responsibility.”