On his birthday, JD Vance embarked on a kayaking trip, with the Secret Service raising the river level as a precautionary measure.
In August 2025, Vice President JD Vance celebrated his 41st birthday with a kayaking trip on the Little Miami River in Ohio. However, this seemingly ordinary event has sparked a debate over the use of public resources and the propriety of such actions.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) temporarily increased outflows from Caesar Creek Lake into the Little Miami River to support safe navigation for Vance's security detail during the trip. The move was within normal practice, but the request was unusual, as former government ethics officials have never encountered such a request during their tenure.
The Secret Service reviewed the area before making the request for water release, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources provided two natural resources officers to assist the Secret Service with the Vance event. However, it was reported that the slight outflow increase also benefited Vance’s leisure activities.
This incident has drawn ethical criticism, as it involves the use of public resources and labor for what appears to be private recreational benefit, especially amid broader government budget cuts impacting public parks and recreational services.
Notably, this is not a common practice for U.S. Vice Presidents to have river water levels raised for recreational activities. The JD Vance case stands out as historically uncommon, with no publicly documented or reported precedents in U.S. history.
Richard W. Painter, a former chief White House ethics lawyer, criticized the use of taxpayer money for the river water level increase. Critics have blasted the action as a sign of Vice President JD Vance's entitlement.
It is important to note that similar treatment wasn't limited to one political party; Democratic Vice President Al Gore, as a presidential candidate, also experienced similar treatment during a photo opportunity on the Connecticut River in 1999.
The Caesar Creek Lake, covering 2,830 acres, was used to raise the river's level for Vance's kayaking trip. The lake has an unlimited horsepower designation, five launch ramps, a marina, a campground, and a lodge.
This incident has raised questions about the propriety and use of governmental authority for personal leisure, and it remains to be seen how this will impact future requests for similar actions.
| Aspect | Information | |--------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Common practice? | No, it is not common or known historically | | Recent example | VP JD Vance in 2025 requested river water level changes | | Purpose | Officially for security/navigation; reportedly for kayaking | | Reaction | Criticism over ethics and use of public resources | | Precedents | None publicly documented or reported in U.S. history |
- The incident involving Vice President JD Vance's kayaking trip on the Little Miami River, where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers temporarily increased outflows, has drawn criticism for the use of public resources and labor for private recreational benefits.
- Similarly, Democratic Vice President Al Gore, during his presidential campaign in 1999, also experienced a similar treatment with river water level changes for a photo opportunity on the Connecticut River.
- It is crucial to question the propriety of using governmental authority for personal leisure activities, as this incident raises concerns about precedents that may impact future requests for similar actions.
- Richard W. Painter, a former chief White House ethics lawyer, has joined the critics blasting the action as a sign of Vice President JD Vance's entitlement regarding the use of taxpayer money for the river water level increase.
- The Caesar Creek Lake, a popular recreational destination with various amenities like launch ramps, a marina, and campgrounds, was used to raise the river's level for Vice President JD Vance's kayaking trip in 2025.
