Vice President JD Vance is once again hit with criticism after his team allegedly ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to raise a river during a recent Ohio trip.
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According to The Guardian, the U.S. Secret Service requested that the Army Corps of Engineers change the outflow of Little Miami River to “support navigation” of the Vice President’s security detail for an August 2025 trip. The river flows into Caesar Creek Lake.
JD Vance was spotted canoeing on the southeastern Ohio lake on his 41st birthday, Aug. 2. A source alleged the outflow request was not only to support Vance’s security team, but also to create “ideal kayaking conditions” for the politician.
USACE spokesperson Gene Pawlik also confirmed that such a request was made. “It was determined that the operations would not adversely affect downstream or upstream water levels,” Pawlik shared, per the Associated Press. “Downstream stakeholders were notified in advance of the slight outflow increase, which occurred on August 1, 2025.”
The U.S. Secret Service further confirmed to The Guardian that it had collaborated with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the USACE to plan for the safe operation of motorized watercraft and emergency personnel. The agency was unable to discuss more specifics of its plans.
A Spokesperson for JD Vance Says the Vice President Was Unaware the Ohio River Was Raised
Parker Magid, a spokesperson for JD Vance, stated the vice president was unaware that the Ohio river had been raised.
“The Secret Service often employs protective measures without the knowledge of the Vice President or his staff,” Magid shared. “As was the case last weekend.
Critics quickly questioned the decision. It was also pointed out that Vance’s team may have exploited public infrastructure resources for his personal recreational use amid the Trump administration’s budget cuts.
Seemingly irritated about the situation, U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur, who represents Ohio’s 9th district, called the request “outrageous.”
“Must be why he wasn’t available to meet about his Big Bonanza for Billionaires Bill,” Kaptur then wrote on X, referring to the Trump administration’s Big Beautiful Bill. “Which will devastate Ohio manufacturing jobs and our rural hospitals. The Army Corps of Engineers should share records with relevant committees of jurisdiction.