Trump slams Jeanine Pirro for dropping Reflecting Pool vandalism cases, says she "choked"
President Trump has publicly criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dismissing vandalism charges related to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. While Trump expressed strong disappointment, reports indicate that Pirro's position remains secure for the time being.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the President's direct involvement in Department of Justice prosecutions and the political pressure placed on appointed federal officials.
Washington — President Trump on Monday publicly rebuked Jeanine Pirro, his handpicked U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, for dropping the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism cases, but ignored questions about whether he intends to fire her. The Justice Department submitted a court filing Friday moving to dismiss vandalism charges against 67-year-old former Olympian David Hearn, saying the Interior Department incorrectly attributed damage in the pool's lining to vandalism and that evidence showed "contractor error" and a "botched installation" were to blame. That move did not rest well with Mr. Trump, who said Pirro "choked" and "made a mistake." "I was disappointed with Jeanine Pirro," Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. "Really disappointed with Jeanine Pirro. She folded like an umbrella." "Frankly, I think she choked," he said. "...I guess she choked.
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