Trump Restores State Control of Utah Lands, Reversing Biden Monument Expansion

Clear Facts

• President Trump signed proclamations Monday reducing the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah
• The action reverses Biden administration expansions and returns to Trump’s first-term boundaries
• The move restores local management authority over federal lands that were restricted under previous monument designations

President Donald Trump took decisive action Monday to restore sensible land management in Utah, signing presidential proclamations that scale back two massive national monument designations. The Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante monuments will return to the boundaries Trump established during his first term—boundaries that the Biden administration had expanded without proper consultation with state and local authorities.

The proclamations represent a return to balanced land use policies that respect both conservation priorities and the rights of Americans who live and work near these federal lands. Trump’s approach recognizes that effective stewardship doesn’t require locking away millions of acres from productive use and local input.

President Trump signed two executive orders related to the transfer of federal land to the State of Utah.

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During his first administration, Trump reduced Bears Ears by approximately 85 percent and Grand Staircase-Escalante by nearly half, citing the need to prevent federal overreach and restore access for ranching, energy development, and recreation. Biden reversed those reductions shortly after taking office in 2021, imposing Washington’s will on Utah communities that depend on access to these lands.

The restoration of Trump’s original boundaries addresses longstanding concerns from Utah officials and residents who argue that expansive monument designations limit economic opportunity and ignore local expertise. State leaders have consistently maintained that Utah can protect its natural treasures without sacrificing jobs and resource development.

Critics of the Biden-era expansions pointed to the Antiquities Act’s history of abuse by presidents who designate vast areas as monuments through executive order, bypassing Congress and state input. Trump’s modifications aim to correct that imbalance while maintaining protection for genuinely significant archaeological and natural sites.

The president’s action underscores his administration’s commitment to federalism and the principle that those closest to the land are best positioned to manage it responsibly. Utah’s congressional delegation and state government have long advocated for these changes, arguing that monument designations should reflect actual conservation needs rather than political agendas.

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