Trump administration eyes commercial projects in US national parks, sparking conservation alarm

The Trump administration is actively exploring commercial uses of iconic federal lands. Documents reveal that the White House has shortlisted locations in Grand Teton National Park for a televised Major League Baseball game, while a separate study examines a road through Yosemite National Park that would give a private equity firm access to an adjacent luxury project. In addition, a portion of the proposed Mexico-border wall is being constructed in Big Bend National Park, disrupting the Rio Grande shoreline.

Former National Park Service director Mark Butler, who spent decades managing parks, says the agency is "on fire" and that no precedent exists for such land concessions. Mindy Riesenberg of the Grand Canyon Conservancy adds that allowing events like the baseball game would create a risky benchmark, separating commercial interests from conservation goals. These proposals come amid broader Trump-era rollbacks, including budget cuts to park staff and relaxed vehicle-emission standards, heightening fears about the future integrity of the nation’s protected areas.