Trump Admin Withdraws National Park Service Nomination After Backlash

The Trump administration said it has withdrawn its nomination of hospitality executive Scott Socha to be director of the National Park Service (NPS).

On Monday, the White House shared a list of its nominations and withdrawals that were sent to the Senate. Among the withdrawn nominations was Socha’s, the president of parks and resorts at Delaware North, a company that once sued to claim trademark rights to the “Yosemite” name. A White House official confirmed to Newsweek that “Socha has withdrawn his nomination,” though didn’t cite the reason.

Socha said in a statement shared with Newsweek that he “withdrew from consideration to serve as Director of the National Park Service for personal reasons.”

He added he was “grateful to the President and the Secretary of the Interior for the confidence placed in me and appreciative of the consideration shown throughout the nomination process,” and that he remains “committed to the stewardship of America's National Parks and to providing outstanding guest experiences for all visitors.”

After the Trump administration announced its nomination of Socha, there was uproar among environmentalists and park advocates, with some saying they didn’t think he was qualified for the role, given his background as a hotel executive.

Aaron Weiss, the deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities, said of Socha’s withdrawal: “We've said all along that Scott Socha was deeply unqualified to run the National Park Service,” adding the parks “deserve far better than someone who spent his entire career trying to privatize them.”

Why It Matters

The NPS has been without an official director for more than a year, with Charles Sams III, its 19th director, serving from December 2021 to January 2025. The lack of a director has increased strain on the service at a time when widespread layoffs within the NPS have also raised concern.

What To Know

Delaware North describes itself as one of the world's largest privately owned hospitality and entertainment companies, providing services in a number of national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Shenandoah. Its revenue was over $4 billion in 2025.

Per the company’s website, Socha provides “strategic direction and ensures that short- and long-term plans are in place to drive business and enhance the company's destination properties.” Before starting his current role as president for parks and resorts and Delaware North Australia, Socha was a Delaware North vice president and the company's treasurer.

At the time of his nomination, the White House deemed him “perfectly qualified” for the role, while the bipartisan Bernhardt Group, set up by former U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt in 2025, said he was “an outstanding choice.”

The National Parks Conservation Association also said it was “ready to work with” Socha after his nomination.

Others were less positive about the announcement, with many concerned about Socha’s role at Delaware North. In 2016, after the company lost a $2 billion bid to renew its contract to continue operating Yosemite's hotels and restaurants to competitor Aramark, Delaware North sued, claiming it had intellectual property rights to various names used at the park worth more than $50 million-including “Yosemite National Park,” “Ahwahnee Hotel” and “Curry Village.”

The landmarks were briefly renamed: Ahwahnee Hotel became the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, and Curry Village became Half Dome Village. The lawsuit was settled in 2019.

Reacting to Socha’s withdrawal, Gerry James, deputy director of the Sierra Club's ‘Outdoors For All’ campaign, said it was “an opportunity to reset,” and that the next NPS leader “must make good on a promise to the parks, not just in words but in action.”

What Happens Next

It is not yet clear who the White House’s next nominee for the role will be. As it draws closer to peak season in the parks, not having a director to lead operations could make it even more difficult for NPS to manage the millions of Americans that will visit the parks over the coming months, slowing key decisions about management and park policies and reducing the service’s ability to react to the pressure.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 11:44 AM.