Summary
A lawsuit was filed against the Trump administration for replacing the winning photo on the National Parks annual pass with a portrait of President Donald Trump. The lawsuit claims this change violates federal law, which requires the winning photo from a public contest to be used. The changes also included a new type of pass that the law does not authorize.
Key Facts
- The Trump administration replaced the contest-winning photo on the 2026 National Parks pass with President Trump's portrait.
- The Center for Biological Diversity filed the lawsuit on December 10 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
- The lawsuit claims this move ignores legal requirements outlined in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA).
- FLREA requires a photo contest to select the image for the parks pass.
- The lawsuit also challenges new "Resident" and "Nonresident" pass types, which the law did not authorize.
- The Department of the Interior says the changes are part of a modernization effort.
- Critics argue the changes politicize federal land policy by using the pass for personal promotion.
- The lawsuit is concerned with keeping park access nonpartisan and legally compliant.
