NATIONAL NEWS

Trump administration pauses contentious border construction in Texas’ Big Bend National Park

Aug 17, 2026, 11:20 AM

President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with lifeguard Ryder Williams in the Oval Office of the W...

President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with lifeguard Ryder Williams in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Credit: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says it is temporarily pausing construction of a controversial border construction project in the Big Bend National Park while the head of the agency tasked with building the wall visits Texas to do an “on-the-ground evaluation.”

The project through the national park in southern Texas has faced fierce bipartisan opposition by critics who say it is marring a pristine environmental area and that the region’s rugged and remote terrain already serves as a deterrent to migrants and smugglers.

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Trump administration pauses contentious border construction in Texas’ Big Bend National Park