America’s Natural Heritage at Risk: Trump Wants to Cut Billions and Hand Over National Parks

A Drastic Budget Proposal

America’s national parks are facing one of the most sweeping threats in their history. President Donald Trump’s new budget proposal calls for a $1.2 billion cut to the National Park Service—nearly 25% of its total funding. But that’s not all. A key part of the plan involves transferring a large number of protected sites to state control, a move that has sparked sharp backlash from environmental and conservation groups.

Among the critics is Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association. She didn’t mince words: “This is nothing less than an all-out assault on America’s national parks.” She called it the most extreme and destructive budget proposal any president has ever submitted in the agency’s 109-year history.

Fewer Staff, Closed Facilities

The National Park Service has already lost between 2,400 and 2,500 employees—over 10% of its workforce—due to a combination of early retirements, buyouts, and layoffs. The impact is clear: shortened operating hours, shuttered visitor centers, canceled tours, and fewer camping spots across the country.

Further cuts could do even more damage. The Center for Western Priorities warned that transferring parks to states would likely result in closures or privatization, as most state governments simply don’t have the funds to manage them. “This move isn’t just shortsighted—it’s dangerous,” said the organization’s policy director, Jesse Prentice-Dunn.

Iconic and Historic Sites on the Line

Of the 433 sites managed by the National Park Service, only 63 are formally designated as “national parks.” The rest—national monuments, seashores, historic landmarks, and recreation areas—make up a diverse patchwork of America’s natural and cultural treasures. These include places like Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan and Canaveral National Seashore in Florida.

The budget proposal argues that many of these places attract relatively few visitors and are more appropriately managed at the state level. But critics say that diversity is the strength of the entire system—and giving away those lands risks losing what makes them special.

A Question of Public Ownership

The Trump administration frames the proposal as a way to streamline operations and promote federalism. But opponents argue it’s an attempt to pull back federal responsibility and funding—undermining the very principle of national stewardship.

“Any effort to hand these places over to the states is a betrayal,” said Theresa Pierno. “The American people won’t stand for it.”

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