It was Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, who confirmed that felony charges are pending.

The suspect, according to reports, was identified as Melissa L. Farris, who faces counts of depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans’ memorials.

The possible penalties include up to 10 years behind bars.

The Friends of the National WWII Memorial, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving the memorial, called the vandalism “unacceptable,” saying the memorial was a “sacred place of remembrance.”

Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom. Those Americans include my father and grandfather.

This morning, we are filing two felony charges, Depredation Against Property of the… pic.twitter.com/7EQxGWtdue

— US Attorney Pirro (@USAttyPirro) August 14, 2026

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the arrest of a woman over the World War II Memorial vandalism. https://t.co/uMWnVsJUoi pic.twitter.com/FpOG09uLf8

— CNN (@CNN) August 14, 2026

🚨 BREAKING: The DOJ has ARRESTED the scumbag who VANDALIZED the World War II memorial in DC yesterday, per US Attorney Pirro

And she looks EXACTLY as you’d expect.

Melissa L. Farris is now being hit with TWO FELONIES, which each carry up to 10 years each.

FAFO. pic.twitter.com/kKd4XR6jPP

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 14, 2026

President Donald Trump responded to the attack: “Our beautiful World War II Memorial was just hit by Spray Painting Vandals,” Trump wrote on social media. “THERE CAN BE NO GREATER INSULT TO THOSE AMERICAN HEROES WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR II. First the Reflecting Pool, now this.”

“We are on their trail! Where do these animals come from???” the president stated.

The WWII memorial was dedicated in 2004. It has 56 granite pillars around a plaza on the National Mall as a monument to the 400,000 Americans who died and the millions who served in the armed forces at the time, according to the National Park Service.

“The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated,” the Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, said in a statement.