Trump Targeting Marine National Monuments Again in 2026

In 2018 President Trump directed Secretary Ryan Zinke at the Department of the Interior to review all national monument designations on federal public land since 1996 that are 100,000 acres or more in size. With threat of a lawsuit by environmental groups, this motion was halted.

However, in 2025 Trump is at it again, by illegally opening the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to commercial fishing. This Monument consists of Wake, Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, and Palmyra Atoll which lie to the south and west of Hawaii. 

This motion was again halted in the Hawaii Superior Court, but not without some fishing at Johnston Atoll to occur.

This has not stopped the Trump Administration. Under the "Unleash American Seafood Act" Trump has directed fisheries managers to open fishing in three marine national momuments including the Rose Atoll of America Samoa, The Marinas National Marine Monument, and the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument north of Hawaiʻi.

These islands host some of the most abundant and diverse marine life in US waters and many endangered species not found elsewhere. This action could potentially impact over 1 billion acres of natural and cultural treasures on public lands and oceans that have been protected by presidents of both political parties, including one of the world's largest marine protected area.

Removing this protective status will place America's most loved natural and cultural areas at risk to logging, mining, oil exploration and fishing. Under the Act, only Congress has the clear authority to reduce or nullify a monument designation, not the president. Show your support for our National Monuments and maintain their current status established by the 3 past presidents to protect our natural and cultural heritage.

Please share this petition to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce directors , NOAA and USFWS to leave our marine monuments intact.