Trump Shrinks Two Utah National Monuments, Sparking Legal and Political Backlash

President Trump signed two executive orders to reduce nearly 3 million acres of protected land in Utah—1.69 million acres from Grand Staircase-Escalante and 1.24 million from Bears Ears—drawing criticism from environmental groups who label the move illegal and pledging legal challenges, while Utah officials praise the decision. The reductions come after Obama had restored Bears Ears and re-expanded Grand Staircase-Escalante, and legal questions linger about whether the Antiquities Act allows shrinking monuments.