Trump’s War on America’s National Parks
Our national parks — the crown jewels of America — are in crisis. And it’s not because people have stopped visiting. In fact, attendance is booming. The problem is coming from the top: budget cuts, mass layoffs, and an outright dismantling of the National Park Service under Donald Trump’s administration.
The Cuts
Trump’s proposed budgets slash over $1 billion from park funding — nearly a third of the agency’s entire budget. Over 1,000 park employees have already been laid off, including rangers, scientists, and maintenance crews. Visitor centers, law enforcement posts, and search-and-rescue facilities are being closed or stripped down.
The Impact
The effects are obvious on the ground. Yosemite alone is running at least 40 staff short, forcing employees to clean bathrooms, cover law enforcement duties, and patch trails — often all in the same day. With deferred maintenance already at $22 billion, these cuts are pushing an overstretched system toward collapse.
The Politics
This isn’t just about saving money. Trump’s team is deliberately trying to shrink the National Park Service, even floating the idea of handing off smaller parks to state governments — a move that could leave them vulnerable to privatization or outright neglect. Fees for foreign tourists are being raised, while U.S. visitors pay less, a symbolic “America First” move that does nothing to fix the real problem.
The Fallout
Staff are unionizing in record numbers, local communities that rely on park tourism are panicking, and visitors are noticing the cracks — from overflowing trash bins to closed visitor centers. Former park leaders warn the service is being turned into a “facade” — looking open on the outside but crumbling on the inside.
Why It Matters
America’s national parks aren’t just scenic backdrops. They are sacred spaces, scientific treasures, and economic lifelines for countless small towns. Starving them of funding and stripping away their caretakers is more than mismanagement — it’s sabotage.
Bottom line: our parks are under attack. If Americans want these lands preserved for future generations, now’s the time to make noise — because silence is exactly what those cutting the budgets are counting on.
