What's next for SF's Presidio Trust after Pres. Trump fired all 6 board members?
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- One of San Francisco's most iconic national parks is facing a major shake-up after President Donald Trump removed all six board members of the Presidio Trust, raising questions about the future of the former Army base turned national park.
For now, it's business as usual at the Presidio. Day-to-day operations are still being handled by staff, even with no sitting board, according to a spokesperson with the Presidio Trust.
"The Presidio to me is just to me this magic place that's kind of a world apart," said Petaluma resident Josh Wilson, who works in San Francisco.
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The park is a beloved escape for locals and tourists.
"It's very different once you get down from the hustle and bustle of the city," said Mo Jenkins, visiting from Montana. "Up here it's just calm, serene and gorgeous."
The Presidio briefly landed in the national spotlight last year after Trump signed an executive order calling for downsizing parts of the federal government and labeling several agencies as unnecessary, including the Presidio Trust.
"Trump issued an executive order to destroy the trust and nothing happened," said San Francisco Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, who represents District 2, where the Presidio is located.
News broke over the weekend that Trump had fired all six members of the trust's board.
Sherrill said the move, while alarming to some, was not entirely unexpected. Three of the six board members' terms expired last year and the remaining members' terms expire next year.
"Yeah. Look, I think the bottom line, when Trump does something, there's always reason for concern just because of his history," Sherrill said.
He added that some board members were more surprised it hadn't happened sooner.
"I don't think we can be pollyannaish about anything coming out of Washington right now, but at the same time, this in and of itself isn't cause for concern," Sherrill said. "We've got to keep an eye on what happens next. Who are the next appointees going to be? I think it's important for us to reach out to the members of Congress, maybe on the other side of the aisle who have national parks in their districts, remind them of, hey, this could happen to you."
RELATED: Trump moves to eliminate agency managing SF's historic Presidio park, calling it 'unnecessary'
On Monday, California Rep. Adam Schiff called the Presidio Trust "a national treasure" created by a Republican-controlled Congress, saying it "has received the same bipartisan support ever since. President Trump's continued partisan attacks on it must end."
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who authored the legislation that created the Presidio Trust 30 years ago, expressed confidence in the framework she helped establish.
"While this decision is unfortunate, previous Republican appointees to the board have respected the Presidio," Pelosi said in a statement. "We hope that this president will look to them for guidance on appointments."
Sherrill praised both the legislation and the trust's track record.
"The trust was created through excellent legislation by Speaker Pelosi in the '90s. It's incredibly well managed. The legislation is strong and management is strong," he said. "As a profitable government entity, it's an example of government gone right."
As for the more than 3,000 people who live in the Presidio, Sherrill said they had other concerns.
"The cost of living is a huge concern across San Francisco, and that was a bigger concern for residents than the replacement of the trust board members, quite frankly," Sherrill said.
A spokesperson for the Presidio Trust said they expect new board members to be appointed and are waiting for more information from the administration. Under normal circumstances, Sherrill said, those appointments would likely come within about six months.
But, he added, the political climate makes this moment anything but ordinary, calling the times "unprecedented."
