The top federal prosecutor in Washington has not ruled out criminal charges against ABC News journalist Jonathan Karl over his actions at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, where he pulled at peeling paint during a broadcast to highlight problems with President Donald Trump’s renovation project. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told Fox News that anyone found vandalizing or attempting to vandalize the pool would face the criminal justice system.
“Anyone who is in position of vandalizing or attempting to vandalize the Reflecting Pool will face the criminal justice system in D.C.,” Pirro said during an interview that aired Sunday with anchor Peter Doocy. She added that citations had already been issued and prosecutors would pursue those cases to the fullest extent possible. Pirro also warned that if substances were introduced into the pool to worsen the algae situation, more serious charges could be considered.
Trump Blasts Karl Over Pool Visit
President Trump called Karl a “Lightweight ABC Reporter” in a June 19 post on Truth Social, accusing him of “sticking his hand into the Pool, and trying to rip the rubber off of the surface.” Trump disputed ABC’s framing that the peeling paint demonstrated renovation failures, instead maintaining the pool’s problems resulted from deliberate vandalism. The president provided no evidence to support those claims when he repeated them Monday evening.
Karl visited the pool during an ABC News segment on Thursday, June 18, pulling at a loose chunk of paint to demonstrate the renovation’s problems. The approximately $16 million renovation, which Trump declared finished on June 6, has faced mounting criticism since the pool was refilled.
Troubled Renovation Draws Scrutiny
The water turned green from an algae bloom shortly after completion, a problem some experts suggested the new paint may have worsened. Trump had described the paint color as “American flag blue.” National Park Service workers were later seen treating the water with hydrogen peroxide to control the algae growth, while sections of paint became visibly loose and began peeling away.
Vandalism Claims and Police Reports
The Interior Department has confirmed that 14 police reports have been filed in connection with vandalism at the Reflecting Pool, including the specific incident Trump described in his Truth Social post. Five people have been arrested and five others received federal citations. An Interior Department spokesperson said U.S. Park Police remain committed to upholding law and order in the nation’s capital.
Another Lawsuit Threat for ABC
On Monday evening, Trump threatened to sue ABC News over what he characterized as false reporting about the pool controversy. In a Truth Social post, he accused the network of failing to inform viewers that Barack Obama and Joe Biden spent over $100 million on the Reflecting Pool during their tenures, with the site rarely opening due to leaks and what Trump described as a persistent “stench.” Trump claimed his predecessors had sought between $300 to 400 million for further work but ultimately let the pool deteriorate, while his administration completed a far more expansive renovation — covering the outer areas and sidewalks as well — for approximately $16 million.
Trump quipped that he enjoys the network’s money and that any future settlement would go directly to the U.S. Treasury. ABC News previously paid Trump $15 million — plus an additional $1 million in legal fees — to settle a defamation suit stemming from anchor George Stephanopoulos’ on-air comments about the E. Jean Carroll sexual assault case. Trump had also taken aim at Karl back in April over Karl’s book, “Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America,” using that occasion as yet another opportunity to brand the network as fake news. Trump has also filed suits against the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, and The New York Times in the last year alone.
Pirro emphasized that beautifying Washington is a stated priority of the administration and that anyone found damaging landmarks like the Reflecting Pool faces real legal consequences. The pool sits at the heart of several capital beautification projects Trump has championed ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, making its troubled post-renovation condition an especially sensitive subject for the administration. Whether Karl ultimately faces any charges remains to be seen, but with Pirro keeping that possibility firmly on the table, the dispute between the White House and ABC News shows no sign of cooling down anytime soon.
