• The Trump administration has proposed cutting over $1 billion from the National Park Service budget, including eliminating key grant programs.
  • The plan suggests potentially removing some sites from the National Park System and transferring management to states.
  • The proposal comes despite record visitation numbers and a growing $23 billion maintenance backlog.

Unprecedented Budget Cuts

The Trump administration has unveiled what would be the most severe budget cuts in the 109-year history of the National Park Service, with a proposed $1 billion reduction that targets operations, construction, and historic preservation funds. The plan includes eliminating $158 million for the National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund and cutting $900 million from park operations - representing 86% of the agency's total budget.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is playing a key role in reshaping conservation programs, with proposals to transfer some NPS functions to the department. This includes potentially moving wildfire management responsibilities from the NPS to DOGE oversight.

Political Backdrop

The budget proposal comes five years after President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act, which allocated $2.8 billion annually for public lands maintenance. Administration officials argue the current plan will help "right-size" conservation programs, though critics point to the growing $23 billion maintenance backlog - up from $14.8 billion since the GAOA's passage.

"This is an all-out assault on America's national parks," said Theresa Pierno, President of the National Parks Conservation Association, in a statement obtained by our newsroom. The administration has not responded to multiple requests for comment on how the cuts would affect record visitation numbers that surpassed 331 million in 2024.

Operational Impacts

Park service employees speaking on condition of anonymity describe an agency already under strain, with hiring freezes, travel bans, and purchasing restrictions in place. The proposed cuts would likely force reductions in visitor services, resource protection, and facility maintenance across the park system.

While the administration claims the cuts will allow focus on "crown jewel" parks, internal documents reviewed by our reporters show no specific plan to prioritize high-profile sites. The proposal includes unprecedented language about potentially removing some units from the National Park System entirely, though no specific parks have been identified for such action.