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Olympian arrested at reflecting pool is Trump 'scapegoat', lawyer says

ABC Australia · Jun 24, 2026, 11:55 PM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

  • Three-time Olympic canoeist David Hearn is fighting allegations of damaging Washington's reflecting pool after he was arrested near the landmark last week.
  • The pool has been plagued by problems after a controversial contract was awarded for its renovation, and Mr Hearn's lawyer says the Trump administration is blaming "vandals" to distract the public from genuine issues.
  • The pool is likely to be drained again for repairs.

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

Three-time Olympic canoeist David Hearn is fighting allegations of damaging Washington's reflecting pool after he was arrested near the landmark last week.

The pool has been plagued by problems after a controversial contract was awarded for its renovation, and Mr Hearn's lawyer says the Trump administration is blaming "vandals" to distract the public from genuine issues.

The pool is likely to be drained again for repairs.

Article preview — originally published by ABC Australia. Full story at the source.
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