WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump’s at have landed the National Park Service in a political predicament.
The beloved federal agency, its iconic park rangers and other employees have been serving the public while managing controversial demands by the Republican president 鈥� from at parks and other sites to the demolition of important structures under its stewardship, such as , to arresting visitors for alleged vandalism at the pool.
Critics say the monthslong Reflecting Pool saga and other demands by Trump risk undermining the integrity of a federal agency that has long been held in high esteem by the American public.
鈥淣ever 鈥� not once in decades 鈥� have I witnessed such systematic degradation, disrespect and dismantling of the National Park Service as I see today under the thumb of President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum,鈥� said Bill Wade, a former park ranger and superintendent.
Wade, who now serves as executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, wrote an op-ed for The Denver Post lamenting what he called the Trump administration’s 鈥渁ssault on the people, the mission and the values that have made the National Park Service one of America鈥檚 most valued institutions.鈥�
The park service has been at the center of some of Trump’s most contentious actions during his second term. targeted funding and demanded reviews at national parks and other sites that Trump said advanced 鈥渄ivisive narratives鈥� and 鈥渋mproper ideology,鈥� resulting in changes to some exhibits on slavery or climate change.
The president has also ordered sweeping changes to historical monuments and buildings in Washington that fall under NPS’ purview, including the creation of a White House ballroom and a 250-foot-tall (76-meter-tall) . The agency meanwhile has lost at least since Trump began his second term, through layoffs, forced retirements and resignations.
Park service employees 鈥渁re being politicized and drawn into the absurdities and corruption of this administration鈥� on a regular basis, said California Rep. Jared Huffman, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. He cited the pool project, the proposed arch and the executive order on exhibit materials.
The ongoing political assault on the agency 鈥渋s unlike anything we鈥檝e seen in this country, and it makes life miserable at agencies like the National Park Service,鈥� Huffman said.
Reflecting Pool saga continues
Trump launched repairs at the Reflecting Pool earlier this year, hoping to address longstanding problems at the iconic site ahead of the America 250 celebrations. But the $16 million project faced immediate problems, including peeling blue sealant and a fierce return of green algae.
Trump blamed the sealant issues on vandalism without providing evidence, and felony charges were brought against a former Olympic canoeist, David Hearn, after he was accused of vandalizing the pool.
The U.S. Park Police, a unit of the National Park Service, arrested Hearn, who denied wrongdoing and said he briefly touched a chunk of the coating.
Charges against Hearn on July 31 after prosecutors acknowledged that damage was caused by rather than vandalism.
The advice and counsel of career officials and rangers 鈥� instantly recognizable by their signature flat hats and green-and-gray uniforms 鈥� has been ignored or pushed aside as Trump and Burgum make decisions regarding the failed pool repair, according to an Interior Department employee who was not authorized to discuss internal discussions and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 tragic,鈥� said Ed Stierli, vice president of government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, another advocacy group. 鈥淭he whole thing is a master class in how not to go about a public rehabilitation project.鈥�
In the days since the dismissal of the charges, Trump has continued to lean on NPS in his repeated claims that vandals damaged the pool鈥檚 lining.
鈥淎 National Park Service career employee, a highly credible witness, saw David Hearn … in broad daylight vandalize the Reflecting Pool by 鈥榲iolently鈥� ripping and tugging at the Pool鈥檚 somewhat delicate coating,鈥� Trump posted Aug. 9 on his Truth Social site. Hearn’s legal team said Trump 鈥渋s continuing to attack an innocent man.鈥�
Stierli, of the parks conservation group, called Trump鈥檚 reference to the unnamed park employee an example of the awkward position agency workers now face under Trump and Burgum, who has publicly backed Trump鈥檚 claims about vandalism at the pool.
鈥淚 think the public understands that unfortunately, you have the president of the United States directly driving decisions, both here in Washington and around the country,鈥� Stierli said. The park service 鈥� and especially its career staff 鈥� 鈥渉as very little control over this,鈥� he added.
The White House and the Interior Department did not directly respond to requests for comment on the park service. The White House defended the pool project, saying Trump 鈥減romised to make D.C. safe and beautiful, and he鈥檚 delivering.”
鈥淔or years, the Reflecting Pool sat neglected, plagued with algae and leaking millions of gallons of water,鈥� the White House said in a statement. “Fixing it was common sense.鈥�
Park service morale is at its lowest point, a former official says
Wade, the former park superintendent, called the pool repair 鈥渁 comedy of errors鈥� and 鈥渁 continuation of the incompetence鈥� shown by the Trump administration.
鈥淢ost people realize the NPS is under the gun and can鈥檛 do much about it, even though they鈥檇 like to,鈥� he said, adding that morale at the agency is at the lowest point he can remember.
Edicts from Washington have made clear that speaking honestly about what is going on could cost staffers their jobs, Wade said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a very strong fear among employees at NPS,鈥� he said in an interview. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very frustrating for them, as you can imagine.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 proposed memorial arch has faced some pushback. A recent report by park service staff warned that the proposed gilded arch could of dozens of sites around its planned location near the Lincoln Memorial.
The arch, which last month received initial approval from , would impact the 鈥渋ntegrity鈥� of dozens of historical properties because it would change 鈥渃haracter-defining visual and spatial relationships鈥� between them, the report said.
Americans view the National Park Service favorably
The park service is popular with Americans. About three-quarters of U.S. adults 鈥� including similar shares of Democrats and Republicans 鈥� have a favorable opinion of the agency, according to polling from 2025. Only about 1 in 10 have a negative impression, and about 15% are unsure.
from July found that about two-thirds of Americans say they are 鈥渄issatisfied鈥� or 鈥渦pset鈥� about Trump鈥檚 Washington area projects, including construction of a new ballroom at the White House, painting the Reflecting Pool and building his triumphal arch. Republicans are more likely to be 鈥渆nthusiastic鈥� or 鈥渟atisfied鈥� with the projects.
About one-quarter of U.S. adults say Trump鈥檚 goal is to 鈥渕ake Washington more beautiful,鈥� while about half say he has a 鈥渄ifferent goal.鈥� In an open-ended question, many respondents speculated that Trump wants to glorify himself or leave his mark.
The pool and other recent controversies including the exhibit reviews jeopardize the agency’s credibility, Wade said.
鈥淲hether interpreting the Civil War, discussing climate science or describing the complex stories of Indigenous people, rangers have sought to present evidence, not political ideology,” he said. 鈥漈hat is now being lost.鈥�
___
Associated Press writer Linley Sanders contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
