Environmental Advocates Sue Interior Department Over Trump’s Portrait on 2026 National Park Pass

By Jim Thomas | Wednesday, 10 December 2025 10:51 PM EST

Environmental advocates sued the U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday, alleging the Trump administration violated federal law by featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait alongside former President George Washington’s on the redesigned 2026 America the Beautiful national park pass.

The Center for Biological Diversity filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Wednesday seeking to block President Trump’s image from appearing on the upcoming park pass, arguing the new design breaches the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 and statutory image selection requirements.

Under federal law, the America the Beautiful national park pass—granted entrance and standard amenities at more than 2,000 national parks and federal recreation sites—must display an image selected through an annual public photography contest managed by the National Park Foundation. The Glacier National Park landscape photo won that contest for the 2026 pass.

However, the lawsuit alleges the administration shifted the winning image to a newly created “nonresident” pass category while placing portraits of President Donald Trump and former President George Washington on the standard annual resident pass.

Center for Biological Diversity Executive Director Kieran Suckling condemned the move in a statement, calling it “Trump’s crassest, most ego-driven action yet.” He criticized what he described as the politicization of public lands, stating: “The national parks are treasured by Americans of every stripe.”

Suckling added: “The national parks are not a personal branding opportunity. They’re the pride and joy of the American people.”

The complaint asserts that substituting President Trump’s image—a photograph “not taken on federal land and not entered in the public contest”—and establishing separate resident and nonresident pass categories explicitly violates the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

There is no record of any U.S. president’s portrait appearing on the America the Beautiful pass prior to this 2026 redesign.

Interior Department officials defended the changes as part of a modernization effort and an “America first” initiative under the Trump administration. In November, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum described updated digital pass formats, expanded motorcycle access, and America-first pricing policies as measures to enhance access and affordability for American families.

Burgum stated: “President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first.” He added that these policies ensure U.S. taxpayers continue to enjoy affordable park access while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving national parks for future generations.

The agency has introduced higher fees for nonresident visitors, including a $250 annual pass for foreign tourists compared with $80 for U.S. residents, and an additional $100 surcharge for nonresidents at 11 major parks beginning January 1, 2026.

In response to the lawsuit, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated: “Instead of filing frivolous lawsuits, this leftist group should be thanking President Trump for enhancing opportunities for Americans to enjoy our beautiful national parks.”