President Donald Trump has nominated for director of the National Park Service an executive from a hospitality company that holds extensive contracts with the agency he would lead.
The nomination of Scott Socha late Wednesday follows widespread firings within the Park Service as part of efforts by Trump's Republican administration to sharply reduce its size. The administration also has faced blowback for the removal or planned removal of national park exhibits about slavery, climate change and the destruction of Native American culture.
Administration officials have said they are removing ''disparaging'' messages under an order last year from Trump. Critics accuse it of trying to whitewash the nation's history.
Socha is a president for parks and resorts at Delaware North, which describes itself as one of the world's largest privately owned hospitality and entertainment companies, with more than $4 billion in revenue in 2022. Delaware North provides hospitality services The company provides services in at least six national parks including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Shenandoah, said spokesperson Cait Zulewski.
The Buffalo, New York-based company has more than 40,000 employees, according to its website. Socha has been with it since 1999 and will continue in his role there while his nomination is pending, Zulewski said.
The company referred further questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press.
The Senate must confirm Socha's nomination.
Trump last year proposed cutting the Park Service's $2.9 billion budget by more than $900 million. Park supporters and former employees said that would effectively gut the agency.
