White House yanks CEO’s nomination to lead National Park Service after he opts out of consideration

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PresidentDonald Trumphas withdrawn the nomination of Scott Socha to serve as National Park Service director after the nominee bowed out of consideration last month.

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President Donald Trump waves after landing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, as he returns to Washington on April 25, 2026.(Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

“I am 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,” he continued.

“I remain committed to the stewardship of America’sNational Parksand to providing outstanding guest experiences for all visitors,” Socha noted.

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Tourists flock to Mather Point at Grand Canyon National Park, Oct.1, 2025, in Arizona.(AP Photo/Ross D.Franklin, File)

He had been nominated for the role in February.

Socha works at Delaware North as president for Parks and Resorts and Delaware North Australia, according to the company’swebsite.

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Close-up of National Park Service shield logo on outdoor sign, San Francisco, California, April 17, 2026.(Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

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“The parks and resorts subsidiary provides hospitality services in seven national parks, three state parks, operates Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for NASA, owns and operates lodging in five national park gateway communities, such as Tenaya at Yosemite, a full-service resort, and owns and operates several other hotels and resorts, including The Westin Buffalo at company headquarters,” Delaware North’s site notes.