Attorney General Blanche Defends Pirro Amid Trump Criticism Over Reflecting Pool Case

US Attorney General Todd Blanche publicly backed Washington DC prosecutor Jeanine Pirro on Sunday after President Donald Trump criticized her handling of an alleged vandalism case tied to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Blanche said he supports Pirro fully, and that Trump does as well, during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Renovation Trouble Sparks the Dispute

The Trump administration had fast tracked a renovation of the Reflecting Pool ahead of Fourth of July celebrations, spending about $14.7 million on the project. Within weeks, an algae bloom formed and material at the bottom of the pool began peeling away. Federal authorities charged former US Olympian David Hearn and others with vandalism in connection with the damage.

Pirro Drops the Case, Trump Pushes Back

In a court filing seeking dismissal of the charges against Hearn, Pirro pointed to flawed contractor work as the real cause of the pool’s peeling problem and said the Interior Department had initially withheld complete information. Trump responded publicly, urging Pirro to reconsider what he called a hastily made decision to drop the case.

Blanche Defends Pirro’s Judgment

Blanche said he understands Trump’s frustration, noting that a witness had reported observing vandalism. Still, he argued that having a witness account doesn’t automatically mean prosecutors had enough proof to move forward. He said it wouldn’t be fair to judge Pirro’s overall performance based on the outcome of one case, calling her work enforcing the law against vandalism “phenomenal.”

DOJ Independence Remains in Question

The White House has since asked the Justice Department to look into potential new charges connected to the vandalism at the renovated pool. Blanche, who was narrowly confirmed as attorney general earlier this month amid bipartisan concerns about his independence, declined to promise that the DOJ would operate separately from the White House. He said instead that he would act with integrity and prosecute cases without fear or favor.