National Parks Advocates Plan Day of Protest Against Donald Trump

National park advocates are planning a nationwide day of action against President Donald Trump's parks agenda, calling on his administration to provide greater protection and investment for the federal workforce that maintains the country's parks.

Key points

• Although August 25 is the campaign's focal point, NPCA has listed regarding 30 activities throughout 20 states and Washington, D.C., running from August 22 through September 1.
• A Department of Interior spokesperson informed Newsweek that over 99 percent of donations during the 2024 election cycle from NPCA employees were distributed to Democratic political campaigns.
• Newsweek has contacted the White House, Burgum's office and the NPCA, via email, for comment.
• NPCA notes the National Park Service has lost a quarter of its permanent workforce over the past year, including thousands of rangers, maintenance workers and educators.
• Its petition asks Trump and Burgum to protect parks, preserve their workforce and provide staff with "real investment" to care for them.

Newsweek is a Trust Project member.

See more of our trusted coverage when you search.to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.

In practice, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) remarked supporters will gather online and at events nationwide on August 25 to "speak out for America's national parks." The group is asking the public to sign a petition urging Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to protect parks and their employees.

NPCA notes the National Park Service has lost a quarter of its permanent workforce over the past year, including thousands of rangers, maintenance workers and educators. Its petition warns that staffing shortages have forced parks to reduce educational programs, weakened scientific and conservation work and could affect emergency responses and visitor safety. It asks Trump and Burgum to create a "real investment" in park staff and protect the residents responsible for caring for the sites.

Although August 25 is the campaign's focal point, NPCA has listed regarding 30 activities throughout 20 states and Washington, D.C., running from August 22 through September 1. Newsweek has mapped them out below.

Meanwhile, the planned action comes against the backdrop of a wider dispute over Trump's approach to public lands. Critics have objected to staffing losses, higher fees for foreign visitors, the administration's campaign to cut environmental regulations and its direction that federal historic sites remove material it considers disparaging or ideologically divisive.

In practice, the administration argues that its policies will expand recreational access, generate funds for park infrastructure and balance conservation with economic expansion. Burgum has remarked Trump is protecting the nation's landscapes while ending "burdensome red tape, " and Interior office-holders have pointed to continuing investments under the Great American Outdoors Act. It trump signed during his first term, as evidence of his conservation record.

Notably, a Department of Interior spokesperson informed Newsweek that over 99 percent of donations during the 2024 election cycle from NPCA employees were distributed to Democratic political campaigns. The spokesperson criticized the group for marketing itself as nonpartisan while funding progressive candidates and giving funds to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's campaign.

"Further, if you look at the accounts they are after on X you will see they follow AOC, Center for American Progress, Sunrise Movement, Indivisible (the group who hosted the No Kings rallies), to name a few that show the political leanings of this group. Any insinuation that the NPCA is non-partisan is farcical, " the spokesperson remarked.

Notably, the Day of Action campaign is mainly focused on the loss of National Park Service employees and what organizers describe as inadequate federal backing for those who remain.

In practice, the NPCA notes the shortages have forced parks to reduce educational programs, pushed out specialists responsible for research and conservation and triggered concern concerning whether employees can respond adequately to emergencies. Its petition asks Trump and Burgum to protect parks, preserve their workforce and provide staff with "real investment" to care for them.

Meanwhile, the decline followed mass terminations, hiring restrictions and offers encouraging federal employees to resign or retire early. Although courts afterwards authorized their reinstatement, according to the NPCA, regarding 1, 000 probationary Park Service employees were fired in February 2025. While park advocates have cautioned that the loss of experienced scientists, historians, emergency personnel and maintenance workers cannot swiftly be reversed, other employees left through deferred-resignation and retirement programs.

Meanwhile, the staffing dispute has unfolded alongside other Trump administration changes that have angered some visitors and conservation groups. The administration placed Trump's image beside George Washington on the 2026 America the Beautiful annual pass.

Meanwhile, the administration additionally introduced separate costs for residents and international visitors. While nonresidents pay $250, U.S. Residents continue to pay $80 for an annual pass. International visitors without an annual pass must pay an extra $100 per person at 11 of the most-visited parks.

Burgum argued that this policy ensures that "U.S. Taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations." "President Trump's leadership always puts American families first, " he remarked.

Trump has additionally directed the Interior Department to review monuments, signs and interpretive material at federal sites. His March 2025 executive order remarked parks and museums should emphasize American achievement and remove content the administration considers disparaging, ideologically driven or divisive.

It all comes against the backdrop of the administration's wider approach to public lands and environmental regulation. Trump authorities have promoted climbed timber harvesting, expanded domestic energy production and faster permitting while promising to remove what they call burdensome environmental "red tape."

In practice, the administration rejects the portrayal that Trump is hostile to national parks. Burgum has pointed to the Great American Outdoors Act. It trump signed in 2020, saying it is "one of the most significant public-lands investments of the 21st century, " which will backing repairs to historic sites, roads, visitor facilities and other park infrastructure.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Edward T. Cummins.

In short, national Parks Advocates Plan Day of Protest Against Donald Trump is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.