Some reacted to news of the executive order with suggestions that the president convert the Presidio into a “Freedom City” focused on manufacturing and innovation — an idea he floated as a candidate in 2023.
Those familiar with the Presidio Trust’s operations say they don’t know what the federal government would identify as wasteful.
The Presidio Trust was established after the U.S. Department of Defense decommissioned the area as a military base in the 1980s. It hasn’t received yearly appropriations from the federal government since 2013. In 2023, Pelosi announced that the park would receive a $200 million infusion of federal funds for maintenance.
Some observers say the executive order was Trump’s way of seeking vengeance on Pelosi, who was one of the president’s main enemies during his first administration.
“I suspect it is because it is in Nancy Pelosi’s [district],” said a person familiar with the Presidio Trust’s operations. “We expected to be a target of political retribution. That’s my guess.”
At a press conference Thursday, Pelosi said federal funds for the Presidio were committed but it’s not clear if the law allows for funds to be clawed back by the federal government.
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