Trump official faces inquiry over claims he diverted wildfire resources to his own property

Exclusive: Michael Boren, a senior official overseeing the US Forest Service, is accused by Democratic senators of ‘inappropriate interference’ Donald Trump’s administration is facing calls to launch an investigation into allegations that Michael Boren, a senior official who oversees the US Forest Service, pressed agency staff to deploy additional resources to fight a fire burning near his Idaho ranch. Three Democratic senators accused Boren of “inappropriate interference” in a letter seen by the Guardian, demanding answers from Brooke Rollins, US agricultural secretary. Boren serves as undersecretary of agriculture for natural resources and environment. The fire began on 12 July, as a result of an unattended campfire and was 100% contained by 15 July. It reportedly ultimately burned seven acres .

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open The Guardian World

Scoop News DeskIdaho · Published Friday, August 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTCUpdated Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 11:28 AM UTC

Scoop News reporting summary

The text below was supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app. Third-party reporting is attributed in the source panel.

Their letter follows a report from the Washington Post earlier this month, in which several forest service officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Boren – who reportedly owns a 480-acre ranch in the Sawtooth national recreation area – contacted forest service officials multiple times in mid-July to question why more aircraft were not being used to fight the Cabin Creek fire in Idaho, which spread across several acres in Idaho’s Sawtooth national forest .

Breaking news moves fast. Follow @Will466513 on X for breaking news alerts. Follow on X →

Story timeline