NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER • May 8, 2025
In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum five former directors of the National Park Service say new directives tell "park managers to ignore their park resource protection responsibilities in favor of providing for visitor services. We believe that these directions are contradictory with the law and the intent of Congress.” The letter was signed by Jonathan Jarvis, NPS director under President Obama; Fran Mainella (George W. Bush); Robert Stanton (Bill Clinton); James Ridenour (George H. W. Bush); and Ronald Walker (Richard Nixon); as well as 13 former deputy directors. Donald Trump since taking office has worked with businessman Elon Musk to rescind offers for seasonal positions to some 1,000 NPS employees. In addition, an estimated 2,500 employees have resigned or retired. Meanwhile, Trump's proposed 2026 budget calls for more than $1 billion in cuts to the Park Service and a number of parks to be handed over to states to manage.