Vice President JD Vance’s security detail had an Ohio river’s water level raised last weekend to accommodate a kayaking trip he took to celebrate his 41st birthday.
JD Vance’s security team had an Ohio river’s water level boosted last weekend to support a kayaking outing he and his family enjoyed for his 41st birthday celebration.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed it requested the enhanced waterflow for the Little Miami River, initially reported by The Guardian, to ensure motorized vessels and emergency crews “could operate safely” while safeguarding the Republican vice president.
However, critics swiftly condemned the move as evidence of the Vance’s privilege, especially considering the Trump administration’s emphasis on cutting government expenditures.
Richard W. Painter, who worked as chief White House ethics attorney under President George W.Bush, wrote on X that “it’s outrageous for the Army corps of engineers to spend taxpayer money to increase water flow in a river so @VP can go canoeing when budget cuts to the National Park Service have severely impacted family vacations for everyone else.”
The Corps of Engineers refused to discuss any monetary consequences of elevating the river.
Spokesman Gene Pawlik stated the agency’s Louisville District briefly boosted outflows from the Caesar Creek Lake in southwest Ohio into the Little Miami “to support safe navigation of U.S. Secret Service personnel.”
He noted the action satisfied operational standards and remained within standard procedures. “It was determined that the operations would not adversely affect downstream or upstream water levels,” he announced in a statement.
“Downstream stakeholders were notified in advance of the slight outflow increase, which occurred August 1, 2025.”
Vance celebrated his birthday on Aug. 2.
Vance’s spokesperson, Taylor Van Kirk, stated that the vice president was oblivious to the river level being raised.
“The Secret Service often employs protective measures without the knowledge of the Vice President or his staff, as was the case last weekend,” she texted.
The vast 2,830-acre Caesar Creek Lake boasts an unlimited horsepower designation and five launch ramps, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website. A marina, campground, and lodge are also situated on site.
The department supplied two natural resources officers to aid the Secret Service with the Vance event, spokesperson Karina Cheung said.
The Vance family has already grown accustomed to certain accommodations being made as they travel globally.
During a recent trip to Italy, the Roman Colosseum was closed to the public so that his wife, Usha, and their children could take a tour, causing some tourists to be upset.
The Taj Mahal was also closed to visitors during the Vance family’s visit to India.
Such special treatment isn’t exclusive to one political party.
Back in 1999, when Democratic Vice President Al Gore was running for president, he took a photo op paddling down the Connecticut River. To make this possible, utility officials had to open a dam and release a whopping 4 billion gallons of water to raise the river’s level.
This move came after a Secret Service review of the area, but it also led to political backlash.
At the time, Gore’s campaign maintained that he did not request the water release.
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