Glacier Point Road in Yosemite Credit: NPS
February 13, 2026 - On Thursday, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks released the following:
Yesterday, President Donald Trump nominated Mr. Scott Socha, a hotel and food management executive, as the next director of the National Park Service.
In response, Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, released the following statement:
“Over the last year, the National Park Service has been gutted, budgets have been slashed, and the threats of privatization and mass sell-off loom. Park staff have been silenced, and history and science is being erased in our parks and museums. In this critical moment, our parks need a National Park Service Director who can be a champion for America’s national treasures, and those who steward them. This requires deep knowledge of and enthusiasm for our parks and public lands, alongside the skills and abilities to manage these irreplaceable natural and cultural resources.
“It is critical that the next Director understands and believes in the mission of the National Park Service, and places the protection of our National Park System – and support of NPS employees – first. We encourage the Senate to do its job and fully vet this nomination.
“Our national parks are in crisis. The next National Park Service Director must hit the ground running with the necessary knowledge, skills, and priorities to ensure our parks and public lands are protected for future generations.”
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization made up of over 4,900 members, all of whom are current, former, and retired employees or volunteers of the National Park Service (NPS). Together, they have accumulated over 50,000 years of experience caring for America’s most valuable natural and cultural resources. Our members include former NPS directors, deputy and regional directors, superintendents, park rangers (both law enforcement and interpretive), maintenance and administrative professionals, and many other dedicated career professionals. More information can be found at https://protectnps.org
Source: Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks
