U.S. Park Police arrested David Hearn, a 67-year-old resident of Bethesda, Maryland, and a three-time U.S. Olympian in canoe slalom, on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property. The arrest occurred at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
According to a report from the New York Post, Hearn was completing a 52-mile bicycle ride when he stopped near the pool. He told police that he noticed a piece of the blue liner that had become partially detached from the pool’s recently installed coating.
Hearn stated that he reached into the water to touch the end of the flapping piece, which was already peeling but remained attached to the bottom. He maintained that he did not remove, destroy, break, or peel any material.
Moments later, officers arrested him. Hearn has denied any intent to vandalize or damage the site, describing the action as an attempt to examine the material after observing its condition. He is scheduled to appear in D.C. Superior Court on July 9.
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
Hearn competed for the United States in the C1 canoe slalom event at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (where he finished ninth), and the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He achieved significant success in international competition, including two individual world championship gold medals in C1 slalom (1985 and 1995) and multiple team medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships.
He also secured numerous U.S. national titles before retiring from elite competition in the early 2000s.
The arrest took place amid ongoing issues at the Reflecting Pool following a renovation project directed by the Trump administration. The work, which was completed in early June at a reported cost exceeding $14 million, involved draining the pool, addressing leaks, and applying a new “American flag blue” coating to the granite bottom intended to improve appearance and reduce chronic algae problems.
Within days of refilling, reports emerged of peeling sections of the coating and a return of algae in the water. President Trump publicly attributed some of the problems to vandalism, citing video evidence of individuals tampering with the sealant and referencing arrests by Park Police.
Hearn’s case has been linked by authorities to these broader claims of tampering at the site. The U.S. Park Police have conducted investigations into reported interference with the new coating.
In recent weeks, other incidents of reported vandalism have occurred on the National Mall during the period of the administration’s efforts to address maintenance and appearance issues at the Reflecting Pool and related sites. These include the staining of grass near the Washington Monument with the numbers “86,47” — which is widely interpreted as a violent threat against President Trump — as well as sabotage targeting equipment at a large event organized on the Mall in early June, which resulted in a fuel spill.
