Gallego Slams Trump for Slashing Bears Ears National Monument

As a member of the House, Gallego successfully led the effort to restore Bears Ears after Trump shrank the monument in his first term WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) , a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is speaking out after President Trump issued a proclamation today slashing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments by a total of three million acres, or 90%. The monuments, located in southeastern Utah, are of historic, cultural, and spiritual significance for several federally recognized tribes with a presence in Arizona and Utah. “Today’s announcement is further proof that President Trump does not care about upholding our trust responsibilities or engaging in meaningful Tribal consultation. He’d rather sell off these areas of irreplaceable cultural and sacred heritage to the highest bidder,” said Senator Gallego . “When Trump shrank Bears Ears in his first term, I led the fight against it – I plan to fight back just as hard this time around.” In 2016, after extensive negotiations with five Native American tribes, President Obama created Bears Ears National Monument, conserving 1.35 million acres of wilderness and protecting over 100,000 Native American archaeological and cultural sites. In 2017, during his first term, President Trump moved to shrink the monument by 85%. As a member of the House, then-Representative Gallego vocally opposed the move and introduced legislation to restore the monument. In 2021, following calls from Rep. Gallego, President Biden restored conservation protections for Bears Ears.