Environmental Group Files Lawsuit
An environmental organization has initiated legal action, requesting a judge to prevent the government from featuring President Trump’s likeness on a new national parks and monuments pass. They argue that the public should not be subjected to his “bloated, fragile, attention-seeking” image.
The Center for Biological Diversity asserts that federal regulations mandate the America the Beautiful pass to showcase the winning photograph from the National Parks Foundation’s annual photo contest. This year, that honor belongs to a stunning image of Glacier National Park, a highlight of the national park system.
Despite this, the Interior Department has opted to feature Mr. Trump alongside George Washington instead. The winning Glacier photo has been demoted to a separate “nonresident” pass aimed at charging foreign visitors additional entrance fees.
Kieran Suckling, executive director of CBD, criticized this decision as one of Trump’s most egotistical actions yet, stating that it diminishes the grandeur of America’s national parks.
The controversial pass displays Mr. Trump in a torso-up shot wearing his signature blue suit jacket and red tie next to an image of Washington, with Trump being more prominently featured.
The 2026 version of this pass coincides with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. CBD described this move as a “bait-and-switch” for those who enter the photo contest each year in hopes of having their work showcased on the parks pass.
The lawsuit was filed in federal district court in Washington and names Interior Department Secretary Doug Burgum as well as other officials from his department and related agencies.
The annual $80 America the Beautiful pass grants access to various sites managed by multiple agencies across both departments. Recently, the Interior Department announced what it termed a “modernization” of park access policies, which includes new fees for foreign visitors and changes to free admission days.
CBD highlighted that there was no justification provided by the department for replacing the photo contest winner with images of Mr. Trump and Washington. They also pointed out that Trump’s photo does not appear to meet legal requirements regarding where it was taken or its adherence to contest rules against excessive alteration or controversy.
