In April, President Donald Trump announced that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was being renovated to address long-standing cosmetic and structural issues. He initially promised a gleaming blue pool that would be fixed in a week at a cost of $1.5 million, much less than what previous administrations had paid for work on the national landmark. But four months later the results of the project have not lived up to Trump’s rhetoric, which has in some cases become increasingly hyperbolic.

Jeanine Pirro this week found out there’s a trade-off between loyalty to President Donald Trump and being loyal to reality. The top federal prosecutor in the nation's capital has been a fierce defender and decades-long friend to Trump. But she openly refuted his claims the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was due to vandalism, rather than shoddy workmanship. The moment comes as Trump is struggling to convince Americans that they should believe what’s he’s telling them on the economy, his agenda and his war on Iran. Trump has rebuked Pirro, and has been noncommittal about her future in his administration.

Lawyers for a former Olympian charged with damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool say that the Justice Department knew or should have known for weeks that its case was flawed. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro last week moved to dismiss the indictment against David Hearn, saying in a 20-page filing that newly produced evidence from the Interior Department showed the former Olympic canoeist was not responsible for damage to the pool’s lining. Pirro’s office attributed the damage instead to a botched installation by a contractor and a rushed schedule directed by President Donald Trump. Lawyers for Hearn on Tuesday urged a judge to permanently dismiss the case and foreclose the possibility that the Trump administration could revive it.

President Donald Trump says U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro “choked” and “folded like an umbrella” in moving to drop charges against a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Trump ducked questions Monday about whether he'd fire Pirro but kept up his drumbeat of criticism toward her. The move to dismiss charges against David Hearn was an embarrassing setback for the Justice Department and marked a rare moment during Trump’s second term of an aide or political appointee openly defying him. Trump first posted about the development on social media over the weekend, saying, “I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro.” Hours after his comments Monday, Pirro was spotted at the White House.

President Donald Trump is sharply criticizing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after her assessment that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool following a recent renovation was caused by shoddy construction rather than vandals. On Friday, Pirro moved to drop charges against former Olympian David Hearn, accused of vandalizing the pool. Trump argued anew on Saturday that the damage was caused by vandals. But Pirro, a Trump appointee, said in a court filing that the damage was due to a botched installation of a new liner ahead of the America 250 celebrations. Trump also posted a video on Saturday that he claims shows vandalism, but the footage is unclear.

A judge in the nation’s capital has set a September trial date for a former Olympic canoe racer charged with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman scheduled a Sept. 28 trial for David Hearn during a hearing Monday. A grand jury indicted Hearn on a felony count of property destruction. Hearn has pleaded not guilty. The case against the Bethesda, Maryland, resident stems from a troubled multimillion-dollar renovation project championed by President Donald Trump, a Republican who claims vandals have damaged the pool. Hearn and his supporters say his prosecution is a politically motivated attempt by the Trump administration to scapegoat him.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's new liner, once dubbed “American flag blue” by President Donald Trump, has faded to a color closer to gray. An Associated Press team viewed the pool Wednesday from the Washington Monument. The pool was drained and debris removed after Independence Day fireworks. Trump’s renovation project has faced setbacks, including algae blooms and peeling paint. The project’s cost soared from $1.5 million to over $16 million by June. Trump blames vandals for the problems, while critics point to poor repair work. Several people face charges for allegedly damaging the pool.

The U.K. government says a proxy group backed by Iran is responsible for recent arson and vandalism attacks on Jewish sites in Britain. On Monday, the government announced a ban on the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right. They also banned Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Security Minister Angela Eagle stated that the IMCR has claimed seven attacks in the U.K. She added that members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force almost certainly directed such attacks across Europe. Authorities said Monday Britain is also designating the GRU Volunteer Corps, a group controlled by Russia’s military intelligence agency, as a national security threat.