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 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.
