Vice President JD Vance's recent family boating trip has sparked controversy after officials temporarily raised an Ohio river's water level at his team's request, raising questions about the use of public resources for personal benefit, per the Guardian. The Army Corps of Engineers says it temporarily increased the outflow from Caesar Creek Lake to raise water levels on the Little Miami River "to support safe navigation of US Secret Service personnel," who requested the change. Social media posts confirmed Vance was seen canoeing on the river last weekend on his 41st birthday. An anonymous source suggested the change created "ideal kayaking conditions," though this claim remains unverified.
While officials say such river adjustments are not unprecedented (used for training emergency responders, for example), their use for individual government officials is highly unusual. The Army Corps stated that the request met operational standards and posed no environmental risk, noting that stakeholders were notified in advance. Still, the incident has prompted questions about whether Vance's office exploited public resources for personal benefit. Ethics experts called the move "outrageous" and a "special accommodation," arguing it creates the appearance of preferential treatment unavailable to the public. One adds this puts a bad taste in people's mouths considering the Trump administration's cuts to the National Park Service "are directly impacting middle-class families' vacations."
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