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April 28, 2026

Trump withdraws nomination of Scott Socha for National Park Service director

  • President Donald Trump has withdrawn Scott Socha's nomination to lead the National Park Service.
  • Socha, a hospitality executive, faced skepticism about his qualifications for overseeing national parks.
  • The park service has been without a permanent director for over a year, impacting its operations and leadership.
  • The Trump administration's budget cuts threaten to reduce park service staffing by nearly 30% and significantly decrease its operating budget.