An Idaho state parks leader vetted by the Trump administration to helm the National Park Service has pulled out of consideration for the post.
Susan Buxton, director of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, said in an email that she was “honored to be considered” but withdrew her candidacy “due to family reasons.”
Buxton, an attorney who’s led the Idaho parks division since being appointed in 2021 by Republican Gov. Brad Little, had been interviewed by the Trump administration several times and was considered a top choice for the role, according to two people familiar with the vetting process granted anonymity to speak about a sensitive personnel decision.
She ran the state agency during the Covid-19 pandemic’s boom in park visitation — a boost that the national parks also experienced — and during her tenure advocated for increased funding to pay for more staff as well as for greater public accessibility to parks.
