Trump Keeps Jeanine Pirro After $14 Million Reflecting Pool Case Dispute
Updated
Updated · CNN · Aug 3
Trump Keeps Jeanine Pirro After $14 Million Reflecting Pool Case Dispute
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Aug 3
Summary
A White House meeting ended with Jeanine Pirro still in place as US attorney for Washington, after Trump had weighed firing her over the Reflecting Pool case.
The clash followed a Justice Department filing that said problems at the $14 million pool came from a hasty, botched renovation—not vandalism—and sought to drop charges against former Olympian David Hearn.
Trump said Pirro “choked” and was angered that the filing blindsided him; Pirro told him career officials in her office were responsible, while her filing blamed Interior for withholding information.
The dispute has widened inside the administration: Interior Secretary Doug Burgum still backs Trump’s vandalism claim, but internal National Park Service communications obtained by CNN reportedly mention algae and drainage needs, not vandalism.
Federal prosecutors have also moved to drop cases against three more people, while Hearn’s lawyers are weighing steps that could expose more details about how the prosecution was handled.