President Donald Trump sharply criticized Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, on Monday, accusing her of having “choked” in her decision to drop vandalism charges tied to damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Speaking at an Oval Office event after signing an executive order for military spouses, Trump declined to say whether he would remove Pirro, a former Fox News host and longtime ally he handpicked as the top federal prosecutor in the nation’s capital. Yet he continued a days-long stream of criticism, expressing disappointment over her conclusion that the damage stemmed from shoddy construction rather than deliberate vandalism.
“Frankly, I think she choked because the judge was really vicious,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question. “Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked. I don’t know what the hell happened.”
The president added: “I was disappointed with Jeanine Pirro, really disappointed. She folded like an umbrella.”
The dispute centers on the case against David Hearn, a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool. The move to dismiss the charges marked an embarrassing setback for the Justice Department and a rare instance during Trump’s second term of a political appointee openly diverging from him.
Trump first signaled his displeasure over the weekend, posting on social media, “I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro.” Two days later, he was still fuming, insisting for several minutes that vandalism had marred the troubled project rather than construction flaws.
Pirro has not commented publicly since Trump’s initial social media post criticizing her decision.
The episode underscores an unusual moment of friction within an administration where public loyalty has generally been the norm, and it leaves open questions about the standing of one of Trump’s most prominent appointees. The president’s refusal to affirm Pirro’s job security has fueled speculation about the future of her role as the district’s chief federal prosecutor.
For now, the charges against Hearn have been dismissed, and the White House has offered no indication of what steps, if any, will follow regarding either the case or Pirro’s position.