Interior Secretary Proposes Sweeping Cuts to Public Land Agencies

Burgum's budget plan aims to undermine National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other conservation agencies.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 10:59pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, painterly scene of a lone park ranger standing in the doorway of an empty visitor center, the building's warm, golden light contrasting with the deep shadows cast across the scene, conveying a sense of uncertainty and melancholy about the future of public lands management.As the Interior Department proposes sweeping cuts to public land agencies, the future of America's national parks and monuments hangs in the balance.Salt Lake City Today

For the second consecutive year, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has proposed a budget that would significantly cut staffing across multiple federal agencies responsible for managing and protecting America's public lands. The plan calls for nearly 3,000 job losses at the National Park Service alone, as well as thousands more at the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Why it matters

The administration's strategy appears to be driving out experienced personnel who maintain trails, fight wildfires, and preserve historical and cultural sites on public lands. There are also efforts to erase certain historical narratives by removing interpretive signs and exhibits across national parks and monuments.

The details

The proposed budget cuts come after the Interior Department has already seen about a quarter of National Park Service employees leave since 2025 through terminations and early retirement offers. This month, the department announced another round of buyouts. Additionally, the administration has ordered the removal or flagging of hundreds of signs and exhibits across the country, including those acknowledging the displacement of Native American tribes and the history of slavery and civil rights.

  • In early April 2026, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum released the fiscal 2027 budget proposal.
  • Over the past year, the Interior Department has seen about a quarter of National Park Service employees leave since January 2025.
  • In late March 2026, Burgum convened the 'God Squad' (the Endangered Species Committee) for the first time in over 30 years, voting unanimously to exempt all oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act.

The players

Doug Burgum

The current Interior Secretary who has proposed the budget cuts and other policies aimed at undermining federal agencies responsible for managing and protecting public lands.

President Trump

The former president who, along with Secretary Burgum, has ordered the removal or flagging of historical exhibits and interpretive signs across national parks and monuments.

Senator Mike Lee

The Utah senator who, along with the administration, tried to sell off public lands through a reconciliation bill, which was ultimately killed due to bipartisan outrage.

Aaron Weiss

The director of the Center for Western Priorities and a contributor to Writers on the Range, an independent nonprofit dedicated to discussing Western issues.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Americans are not going along with it. Polling shows that nearly 80 percent of the public opposes removing factual history from national parks. More than 99 percent of public comments opposed rolling back roadless protections for national forests.”

— Aaron Weiss, Director, Center for Western Priorities

What’s next

Congress will be pressed to reject the worst of the budget cuts, as they did the previous year. Conservationists warn that the 'God Squad' decision to exempt oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act will not be the last time national security is used to override environmental protections.

The takeaway

The administration's policies of cutting budgets, driving out the workforce, erasing history, and prioritizing energy extraction over conservation and preservation represent a coherent vision to undermine the agencies responsible for managing and protecting America's public lands. However, this agenda is facing determined opposition from the public and Congress.