El Capitan in Yosemite National Park Sierra Sun Times file photo
CNN: At least 30% of revenue from park entrance fees redirected to Reflecting Pool contract, other D.C. vanity projects
August 13, 2026 - Washington, D.C. — With questions swirling over the botched renovation of the Reflecting Pool, new reporting reveals that National Park Service projects across the country may have been sidelined to fund that and other D.C. vanity projects pushed by President Trump. On top of a 25% cut in staffing since the beginning of this Administration, this further loss of funds puts our parks in critical danger.
According to CNN, at least 30% of park entrance fee revenue has been redirected to projects in the nation’s capital. The Executive Director at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site told Buffalo Toronto Public Media that the White House priority list trumps the National Park Service’s own priority projects. And journalist Scott MacFarlane reports that more than $323 million has been spent on projects at the White House while internal park records show multi-million dollar reductions in funds for Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon National Parks.
Earlier this summer, media reports stated that more than 900 National Park Service projects pending for 2026 had not yet received funding. This means that many of the urgent needs of the National Park Service – including park maintenance, trail access, visitor experience, and public safety – have been sidelined for the president’s projects.
Spokespeople from the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility are available to comment on staffing and funding cuts throughout the National Park System and how these cuts can impact ongoing projects and the ability of the National Park Service to uphold its mission.
KEY POINTS FROM RECENT MEDIA STORIES:
Scott MacFarlane Reports: “Internal park service records obtained by Scott MacFarlane Reports reveal a controversial and overwhelming re-routing of money to Trump vanity projects… The records show more than $323 million have been made available for upgrades and projects on the White House grounds this year. That’s a dramatic, nearly 5000 percent increase from the $7.5 million spent on White House grounds projects in 2024.”
“‘The National Park Service is being used as a piggy bank for Trump’s vanity projects,’ said Tim Whitehouse, executive director of the nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which advocates on behalf of current and former parks employees. Whitehouse said, ‘The National Parks Service and the Department of Interior are giving Trump all of the money that he wants.’
“The shifting of funds slows – or delays – a range of projects big and small at National Park facilities, while expediting work on Trump’s pet projects in Washington, D.C.
“…Multiple National Park Service sources told Scott MacFarlane Reports, the Administration’s shift of priorities to White House grounds upgrades risks further delays on needed upgrades at parks nationwide. The records show pending projects big and small, from coast-to-coast, including:
- Tree care and maintenance at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
- Structural stabilizations at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site in Colorado
- A wastewater treatment facility “emergency repair” at Death Valley National Park
- Building roof replacements at Mission San Jose in Texas
“…The National Park Service employees who spoke with Scott MacFarlane Reports argue the problems are exacerbated by the loss of contract specialists and other professionals who help launch and oversee the work.”
Buffalo Toronto Public Media: “‘That White House priority list trumps the high and low priority list of the National Park Service,’ [Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Executive Director Spencer] Morgan said. ‘So while we are seeing the work that’s being done in Washington at some of the federal sites, that’s work being done with National Park Service dollars.’”
“…For now, Morgan’s site has still not received its federal funding for the year. That means that the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site cannot replace its 16-year-old HVAC system or replace the Victorian roof on the historic building.
“The inaugural site offers valuable services to the community, Morgan said, including hosting early voting, offering free field trips for fourth graders and educating the public on the start of Roosevelt’s presidency.”
CNN: “A CNN analysis found that so far this fiscal year, the administration has redirected at least 30.5% of revenue from national park fees toward projects in Washington, DC, including $8 million out of the $14 million budget for President Donald Trump’s revamped Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. However, under federal law, only 20% of fees collected at national parks are supposed to go toward free parks, which include DC landmarks.”
“…This all comes as the National Parks were already facing a yearslong maintenance backlog worth more than $24 billion. In several parks, roads have been closed for as long as five years with no progress. Money is so tight that sometimes, just stocking the bathrooms can be a hassle.”
The Atlantic: “This previously undisclosed spending is part of an enormous shift of taxpayer cash away from national parks around the country and into the Washington area. In order to pay for the president’s projects, the parks have had to cancel needed repairs, slash their budgets, and operate with fewer employees. Taxpayer spending on projects in the National Capital Region has increased 92 percent over the past year, according to the budget documents. The windfall draws on revolving maintenance accounts and more than $100 million in fees collected almost entirely from national parks elsewhere.”
“…But as Trump attempts to adorn his immediate surroundings with taxpayer-funded improvements, other parks are going without. Park Service employees I spoke with describe a quiet crisis unfolding as the Interior Department’s regular budget shrinks and political appointees redirect the dwindling funds. More than 900 Park Service projects that were expected to be funded this year never received the money, according to internal records.
“Park Service staff have been told, in some cases, that their 2026 projects are being defunded because the Trump administration has prioritized America’s 250th birthday and other programs.”
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks represents over 5,100 current, former, and retired employees and volunteers of the National Park Service, with over 50,000 collective years of stewardship of America’s most precious natural and cultural resources. Recognized as the Voices of Experience, the Coalition educates, speaks, and acts for the preservation and protection of the National Park System, and mission-related programs of the National Park Service. More information can be found at https://protectnps.org.
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) protects public employees who protect our environment, natural resources, and public health. We support current and former environmental and public health professionals, land managers, scientists, enforcement officers, and other civil servants dedicated to upholding environmental laws and values across federal, state, local, and tribal governments. More information can be found at https://peer.org/.
Source: Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks
