Trump signs orders reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah
How left and right are reading this
- Both agree
- Nearly 3 million acres lost monument status in a reversal that could reshape land use, with consequences for sacred sites and future resource development.
- They split on
- Whether the story is about protections for sacred and archaeological lands being stripped despite tribal objections, or about presidents monopolizing land-use decisions that should leave room for Utah priorities.
The Facts
- Trump signed orders on Monday reducing the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah.
- Multiple reports say the two monuments were reduced by about 90% each, with nearly 3 million acres removed from monument status in total.
- The action reverses protections restored by President Joe Biden and revisits similar reductions Trump made during his first term.
- The monuments were originally established by earlier presidents under the Antiquities Act: Grand Staircase-Escalante by Bill Clinton in 1996 and Bears Ears by Barack Obama in 2016.
- The lands include sites regarded as sacred by many Native Americans and contain archaeological and scenic areas such as cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and canyons.
- Several reports say the boundary changes could allow more resource development on land no longer covered by the monument designations, including mining and oil and gas activity.
- Utah Republican officials, including Gov. Spencer Cox, supported the move, while tribal, environmental and Democratic opponents said they objected and planned legal challenges.
Analytical frames for this storyTap to explore
Context
How much were the monuments reduced?
Reports say Grand Staircase-Escalante was cut from about 1.87 million acres to roughly 181,500 acres, and Bears Ears from about 1.36 million acres to about 121,100 acres — reductions of about 90% each Detroit News,UPI,FOX 32 Chicago.
Why are these monuments a recurring political fight?
The monuments have been repeatedly expanded or reduced by different presidents, reflecting a broader dispute over how public lands should be managed under the Antiquities Act Independent,Houston Chronicle,Gazette.
What happens next?
Opponents, including tribal coalitions and environmental groups, said they would challenge the action in court, so the new boundaries could face legal review AZ Central,ABC 4,Houston Chronicle.
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Wire services (6)
Reuters100.7 MIX-FM | Today's Hit Music | Terre Haute, INTrump slashes the size of two Utah national monuments
APWISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana TrafficWhat to know about Trump's order shrinking the size of 2 nat...
Independent coverage (50)
News9liveTrump slashes Utah national monuments by over 90%, reignites...
Fox NewsTrump to shrink 2 Utah national monuments by 90%
International Business Times UK'I'm Very Happy About This' Trump Celebrates Slashing 3 Mill...
RocketNews | Top News Stories From Around the GlobeWhat to know about Trump's order shrinking the size of 2 nat...
Common DreamsTrump Guts Two National Monuments 'At the Behest of Pollutin...
International Business Times UKTrump Utah Monuments Size Reduction Puts Sacred Tribal Land ...
UPITrump signs EO shrinking monuments, angering environmentalis...
1NewsTrump shrinks size of two planned national monuments in Utah
International Business Times UKTrump Shrinks Bears Ears Land as Lack of Profitable Minerals...
L'essentielTrump réduit de 90% l'étendue de deux zones protégées de l'U...
ExBulletinTrump cuts Utah's Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante b...
Gephardt DailyTrump cuts nearly 3M acres from Grand Staircase-Escalante, B...
South Africa TodayPresident Donald Trump Reduces Utah National Monuments Bears...
Economic TimesWhat to know about Trump's order shrinking the size of two n...
The Straits TimesTrump slashes two Utah protected areas by more than 90%
The Herald JournalTrump cuts back acreage of two Southern Utah National Monume...
Economic TimesTrump expected to shrink protected lands in Utah: Reports
L’actualitéTrump réduit la superficie de deux monuments nationaux dans ...
Aspen Public RadioTrump shrinks Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante again...
The Daily ChroniclePresident Trump shrinks Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escal...
The Detroit NewsPresident Trump slashes the size of two Utah national monume...
The IndependentWhat to know about Trump's push to shrink Utah national monu...
YahooWhat to know about Trump's push to shrink Utah national monu...
Bradenton HeraldTrump slashes the size of two Utah national monuments
ABC NewsWhat to know about Trump's order shrinking the size of 2 nat...
ABC 4Pres. Trump's executive order shrinking Grand Staircase, Bea...
YahooTimeline: Grand Staircase-Escalante and the Fight Over Utah'...
Native News OnlineTimeline: Grand Staircase-Escalante and the Fight Over Utah'...
NZ HeraldTrump cuts two Utah protected areas by 90%, opening land up ...
Washington TimesTrump slashes 3 million acres from Utah monuments
YahooTrump Moves to Shrink Grand Staircase-Escalante, Bears Ears;...
The GuardianTrump dramatically cuts size of two national monuments held ...
YahooTrump dramatically cuts size of two national monuments held ...
100 Percent Fed UpPresident Trump Just Undid Biden's Massive 3-Million-Acre Ut...
NewserTrump Again Shrinks 2 National Monuments in Utah
Internewscast JournalTrump Shrinks Two Utah National Monuments as GOP Pushes New ...
San Francisco GateTrump just dramatically shrank 2 beloved Utah national monum...
AZ CentralTrump slashes Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante monument...
YahooTrump slashes Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante monument...
NST OnlineTrump slashes two Utah protected areas by more than 90 per c...
Le ParisienAux États-Unis, Donald Trump réduit de 90 % la surface de de...
KUERTrump slashes Utah's Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalant...
Archaeology SouthwestArchaeology Southwest Adamantly Opposes Dismantling of Natio...
La Presse.caUtah | Trump réduit le périmètre de deux zones protégées
Le Figaro.frTrump réduit drastiquement le périmètre de deux réserves nat...
YahooTrump shrinks Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante national...
PJ MediaHow Dare Trump Put Utah Communities Ahead of Washington's La...
TribLIVETrump reduces size of 2 national monuments in Utah as Republ...
energy.senate.govLee Applauds Trump's Actions Reining in Monument Overreach
energy.senate.govHeinrich Statement on Trump Stripping Protections From Grand...
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The Bridge Builder: Heritage, community, national identity, social cohesion, cultural preservation, trust, polarization. What does this mean for who people are and how they hold together?
The Analyst: Costs, jobs, inflation, growth, incentives, markets, tradeoffs. Follow the money.
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The Guardian: Sanctity, degradation, bodily autonomy, moral boundaries, human dignity, bioethics, environmental purity. Where are the lines that should not be crossed?
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