Trump May Revoke National Monuments by Justice Department Decision

• Trump has gained the legal right to revoke national monuments, according to a new opinion from the Department of Justice.
• Environmental organizations express concern about the implications for the protection of monuments and the popularity of the administration.
• Previous decisions may be challenged, but the final word will rest with the courts.

This is reported by The Independent, CNN.

Trump Gains Authority to Revoke Monuments

President Donald Trump has gained the legal ability to revoke protected national monuments, as announced by the U.S. Department of Justice in a new legal opinion. According to the document published on May 27, presidents can annul declarations of national monuments as it does not violate the law.

This opinion challenges a 90-year-old precedent that claimed presidents do not have the right to revoke monuments established under the Antiquities Act of 1906. The new document states that if the president believes that protected sites no longer warrant protection, he has the authority to revoke them.

The Department of Justice also mentions national monuments created by former President Joe Biden in California, which prohibited oil and gas extraction in the area. Trump reportedly plans to revoke these decisions and free up land for extraction.

Legal Implications and Reactions

This opinion could serve as a basis for further actions by the Trump administration to reduce the area of national monuments. Previously, Trump had already reduced the areas of monuments in Utah, but Biden restored their protection after taking office.

Environmental organizations have expressed concern regarding this new opinion, arguing that it contradicts longstanding practices of monument protection. They note that the public supports the protection of national monuments, and attempts to revoke them could negatively impact the popularity of the Trump administration.

According to the new opinion, the president may consider that previous decisions regarding monuments were erroneous, thus having the right to revoke them. However, experts point out that the final decision may only be made by the courts.

Теги: США/Політика