Trump Administration Pushes Federal Land Sales, Budget Cuts Threaten Access

Under President Donald Trump's administration in 2025, efforts to privatize and sell off U.S. federal public lands have intensified, sparking significant public and political opposition. Western states have long criticized federal control over large land areas, viewing them as impediments to development, while conservationists and many Americans see these lands as vital natural and cultural heritage to be preserved. Despite a recent House committee approval of an amendment to sell over half a million acres of public land, the provision was removed from a larger bill due to public outcry, though the debate remains active. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has described federal lands as a financial asset, promoting their use for housing development and other economic purposes. Simultaneously, President Trump’s 2026 budget proposes severe cuts to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, threatening funding for national parks, wildlife refuges, and other federal lands, representing a reversal of his earlier 2020 support for the Great American Outdoors Act. These moves have raised alarms among environmental groups and public lands advocates who warn of aggressive efforts to privatize and diminish protections for federal lands.