Donald Trump’s history with national parks has been rocky and the fact that the President now wants his face on the annual passes of some national parks has sparked backlash among park officials. Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group, is now suing the administration so that change can be stopped, which is set to happen on January 1, 2026.
The national parks are overseen by The Department of the Interior, which announced earlier that they were releasing “commemorative new designs” for park passes, one of which features Trump’s face alongside George Washington as CNN reported.
The department posted a video statement on its website, where Secretary Doug Burgum could be heard saying, “It is the department’s honor to showcase the America the Beautiful pass honoring America’s 250th anniversary and the generations who have protected our lands.”
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However, the decision did not sit well by The Center for Biological Diversity who filed a lawsuit in Washington, DC federal court on Wednesday, with the goal “to prevent President Donald Trump from replacing a beautiful picture of Glacier National Park with a closeup of his own face on the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass.”
According to them, federal law mandates that the main annual pass feature the winning photo from the National Park Foundation’s annual photo contest. This year, an image of the Glacier National Park in Montana won the contest and as per the environmental group, replacing that picture with Trump’s face is simply unacceptable.
Kierán Suckling, the center’s executive director said, “Blotting out the majesty of America’s national parks with a closeup of his own face is Trump’s crassest, most ego-driven action yet.” Suckling further added, “It’s disgusting of Trump to politicize America’s most sacred refuge by pasting his face over the national parks in the same way he slaps his corporate name on buildings, restaurants, and golf courses. The national parks are not a personal branding opportunity. They’re the pride and joy of the American people.”
BREAKING — The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the Trump administration, seeking to have President Trump’s face REMOVED from national parks passes. pic.twitter.com/CRTQuzzTBf
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) December 10, 2025
Trump’s desire to have his picture on the annual pass aligns with his tendency of slapping his name on important buildings and monuments. His decision to redo the White House and destroy certain historical aspects of it in the process also shows how he wants to ensure that his legacy continues to live on even when he is gone.
Moreover, as reported by CNN, “Earlier this month the Trump administration said it was ending free admission to the parks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth and instead waiving admission fees on Trump’s birthday, which is also Flag Day.” The Interior Department recently also increased the fees for foreign visitors for 11 most visited national parks.
Interestingly, Trump has been having issues with the national park authorities over budget cuts, staff shortage etc and despite these ongoing problems, the President did not have a problem with demanding his picture on the annual pass.
