Which monuments did President Trump shrink?

The Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah.

How large are the reductions?

Bears Ears was cut by 91%, Grand Staircase-Escalante by 90%.

What is the purpose of this action?

To correct federal overreach and boost domestic energy and mineral independence for national security.

Are there opponents to this decision?

Environmental and Native American groups oppose it, citing cultural and ecological damage, and may sue.

Who originally established these monuments?

Bears Ears by Obama, Grand Staircase-Escalante by Clinton.

Trump Drastically Reduces Size of Two Utah Monuments, Reigniting Environmental Controversy

Published Jul 14, 2026 10:04 PM ・ Updated Jul 15, 2026 5:26 AM ・ 4 min read ・ Source: CNA (Central News Agency)

President Trump signed executive orders slashing the size of two national monuments in Utah by over 90%, opening millions of acres of protected land to fossil fuel extraction and mining, reigniting long-standing environmental and cultural preservation debates.

(CNA, Washington, Dec. 13 — comprehensive international news report) U.S. President Trump signed executive orders today drastically reducing the size of two national monuments in Utah to one-tenth of their current area, opening millions of acres of previously protected land for fossil fuel extraction and mining.

According to AFP, Trump (Donald Trump) signed the proclamations during an event at the White House, flanked by Republican officials including Utah's governor and two U.S. senators, calling the move a correction of the federal government's long-standing overreach.

"We are taking very important actions that will have a profound impact on the people of Utah and our nation," Trump said.

The decision reignites a decade-long battle over federal land use.

During his first term in 2017, Trump had previously moved to shrink these two national monuments, but his successor Biden (Joe Biden) restored their original boundaries in 2021.

Trump's earlier reductions cut the Bears Ears National Monument by 85% and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by 45%. The latest cuts are even more drastic, reducing them by 91% and 90% respectively.

The new executive order lists a range of critical minerals and energy resources, emphasizing their importance to U.S. resource independence and national security.

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, spanning 1.9 million acres, holds rich fossil resources and was designated a national monument in 1996 by then-President Bill Clinton.

The 1.35 million-acre Bears Ears National Monument was established in 2016 by President Barack Obama due to the presence of numerous culturally sacred sites for local Native American tribes. (Intern translator: Chen Hsiang-yun / Editor: Yang Chao-yen) 1150714

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Source: CNA (Central News Agency)
Category: Taiwan

Trump Drastically Reduces Size of Two Utah Monuments, Reigniting Environmental Controversy

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