JD Vance Accused of Changing Water Levels for Kayaking Trip
USACE said it received the request to "temporarily increase outflows from Caesar Creek Lake to support safe navigation of US Secret Service personnel" during Vance's visit to the Little Miami River on his 41st birthday last Saturday, the paper reported.
The Secret Service confirmed to Newsweek that it "conducted operational planning to ensure that motorized watercraft and emergency personnel could operate safely with appropriate water levels during a recent visit."
Newsweek has contacted Vance's office, the White House and USACE for comment via email outside of working hours.
The adjustment of water flows for a government official's private trip could raise concerns about equitable access to public resources and the potential for exploiting government infrastructure for private benefit.
It comes as Trump administration's budget cuts have left the National Park Service with severely reduced staffing—straining the agency's ability to meet soaring visitor demand during peak vacation months.
Publicly available water data showed increased river levels and a corresponding drop in lake elevation during at the weekend.
A Secret Service spokesperson told Newsweek that while it could not reveal the specifics of operational planning, it acted with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to provide a "safe and secure environment for our personnel and law enforcement partners."
USACE spokesperson Gene Pawlik said stakeholders downstream were notified in advance of a "slight outflow increase" on 1 August, which did not adversely affect water levels in the area, The Guardian reported.
USACE records seen by the paper showed that while the agency had modified outflows for community events and emergency responder training in the past, such "special releases" were not typically made for individual requests.
There are no allegations of illegal conduct in connection with the incident.
A Secret Service spokesperson told Newsweek on Thursday: "The Secret Service in close coordination with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Army Corps of Engineers conducted operational planning to ensure that motorized watercraft and emergency personnel could operate safely with appropriate water levels during a recent visit."
USACE spokesperson Gene Pawlik told The Guardian the Secret Service request "met the operational criteria outlined in the Water Control Manual for Caesar Creek Lake and did not require a deviation from normal procedures."
Former chief White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter, who served under the George W Bush administration, said on X: "It's outrageous for the Army corps of engineers to spend taxpayer money to increase water flow in a river so JD Vance can go canoeing when budget cuts to the National Park Service have severely impacted family vacations for everyone else."
No formal allegation of wrongdoing has been made against Vance or his office.
USACE has indicated that procedures were followed, and the Secret Service has not announced any changes to its operational guidelines regarding public waterway adjustments for official security purposes.
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CBS News
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Newsweek
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Newsweek
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Trump Envoy Slammed for 'Damaging Incompetence' Over Putin Talks
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff has been slammed for "damaging incompetence" over his talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Michael McFaul, who served in the Barack Obama administration, including as U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation, reacted to reports that Witkoff presented conflicting narratives about Putin's intentions in several calls with European leaders last week, creating confusion. Newsweek was unable to verify these reports and contacted Witkoff and the White House outside of normal business hours for comment. Why It Matters One of Trump's pledges during the 2024 presidential campaign was to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, but he has thus far failed to do so. In a renewed attempt to broker a peace deal between the warring countries, Witkoff met Putin on Wednesday for three hours of talks in what was his fifth trip to Moscow in his capacity as Trump's envoy. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, right, shake hands during their meeting in Moscow on August 6, 2025. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, right, shake hands during their meeting in Moscow on August 6, 2025. Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP What To Know According to The Wall Street Journal, Witkoff presented Putin's ceasefire plan to European officials after he met with the Russian leader. Citing anonymous sources, the publication said Moscow was prepared to withdraw from the southern regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in exchange for full control of Donetsk Oblast. The publication said that the next day, he presented a different claim—that Putin would withdraw and freeze the front line, and that during a third call, he said the Russian leader wanted Ukraine to withdraw from Donetsk in an exchange for a ceasefire. McFaul, now a Stanford University academic said: "This is deeply damaging incompetence. Witkoff should finally start taking a note taker from the U.S. embassy for future meetings. That's how professional diplomacy works." Meanwhile, other figures also criticized Witkoff. Journalist Michael Weiss wrote: "The U.S. envoy is grossly incompetent and his confusion is causing diplomatic crises." Garry Kasparov, a Russian chess grandmaster and political activist wrote: "Like so most of Trump's appointees, Witkoff's only qualification is that Trump is sure he will put Trump's personal interests and desires over American national interests without a second thought. Of course he's incompetent." What People Are Saying Writing on Truth Social about the meeting, President Donald Trump said: "My special envoy, Steve Witkoff, just had a highly productive meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Great progress was made! Afterwards, I updated some of our European allies. Everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come." What Happens Next Trump is scheduled to meet Putin in Alaska on August 15 as part of his efforts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine.
