US prosecutors have dropped charges against a former Olympian who had been accused of vandalising the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, writing in court documents that the damage is now believed to be "the result of flawed installation by the contractor".
President Donald Trump had previously blamed the damage on "sick, deranged" vandals.
But a document filed by prosecutors in Washington DC on Friday says new information "strongly suggests that a rushed and botched installation" job overseen by the US Department of Interior led to the damage.
David Hearn, a champion canoeist, had been facing a 10-year prison sentence if found guilty after his arrest last month.
A piece of the new blue paint could be seen peeling off the bottom of the pool on Thursday
In a statement, Hearn's lawyers accused the Trump administration of abuse of power, and said it "owes Mr Hearn an apology".
Hearn previously told the BBC that he "didn't destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part" of the paint in the pool. Asked by the BBC on Friday if he is planning legal action over the government missteps that led to the charges and false public accusations, he declined to comment.
The document filed by US Attorney for Washington DC Jeanine Pirro blames contractors for rushing the paint installation process as part of Trump's efforts to beautify the city ahead of the country's 250th independence anniversary on 4 July.
The pool was drained again in July
Hearn was arrested after he said he reached down to touch the pool after a bike ride in the area.
He was not the only one. At least three others were charged with vandalism, court records show. Five more received citations from police, an administration official told CBS News, the BBC's US partner. They include one person who Trump claimed had used a blade to "put a 250 foot long gash into the beautiful facade".It's unclear if all of the charges now have been dropped.
In the court filing on Friday, the Trump administration said new information from the Department of Interior (DOI) indicated "that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor" and "the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026".
"It was not until after these documents were produced that [prosecutors] first became aware of information showing that the damage was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism as initially represented by DOI."
Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn
The BBC has contacted the contractor for comment.
Hearn's lawyers said in a statement to BBC News, that the case "should have never been brought".
"Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government's approach was ready, fire, aim."
The Reflecting Pool underwent a multi-million dollar resealing and painting project this spring.
The monument had long been beset by structural failures and leaks, and Trump championed the project as part of his bid to beautify the capital city.
But, despite the makeover, which cost an estimated $16m (£12m), the pool had continued to be plagued by algae, and pieces of the blue sealant peeled off within days after its application.
The project, whose original budget was less than $2m, was awarded to a contractor chosen by Trump himself, CBS reported, and was not open to bidding from other companies as is typical for government work.
The admission on Friday represents a stunning about face by Trump and his administration.
How Washington DC's Reflecting Pool became a global talking point
The US president at one point claimed the pool had been targeted by "sick, deranged" vandals, and was "given a 300 foot long gash" by a blade. Pirro accused Hearn of "a deliberate act to damage the Reflecting Pool."
Pirro submitted the court filing on Friday dropping the vandalism claim and blaming the contractor for the botched job and Department of Interior officials for failing to provide prosecutors with complete information about what caused the problems with the pool.
"DOI provided less than fulsome information at the outset of this case," the document said. "Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment."
Crews have now drained the Reflecting Pool for the second time in three months. It remains empty.
Why has the renovated Reflecting Pool turned green?
