Trump Withdraws Scott Socha NPS Director Nomination

The White House announced on Monday that President Donald Trump is withdrawing his nomination of Scott Socha, a hospitality executive, to serve as director of the National Park Service.

Socha, president for parks and resorts at Delaware North, a Buffalo, New York-based company with contracts at numerous national parks, had been nominated in February. A White House spokesperson described him at the time as totally qualified to execute Trumps plans for the park system. No reason was provided for the withdrawal, and the White House and Interior Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The National Park Service currently operates under acting director Jessica Bowron, the agency's comptroller. The service lacked a Senate-confirmed director during Trumps first term, relying instead on a series of acting leaders. Conservation groups had raised concerns about Sochas private-sector background, questioning whether it equipped him to manage hundreds of sites, from urban landmarks like the Statue of Liberty to remote desert monuments.

The move comes amid significant upheaval at the agency. Thousands of employees have been fired or departed since Trump took office,...