Full Breakdown
Trump Administration Cuts Dozens of Progressive Partnerships at Interior Department
6/11/2026, 9:55:05 PM
Interior Department Terminates 43 Partnerships
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced it is ending 43 contracts and cooperative agreements with external groups, cutting more than $4 million in planned funding for DEI, environmental-justice and undocumented-immigrant support programs.
Review of Agreements and Data
A department-wide review launched in March identified roughly 3,000 active agreements with about 2,000 NGOs, nonprofits, private firms and schools. From this pool, 43 partnerships were selected for termination, representing over $4 million in anticipated funding.
Key Figures and Targeted Organizations
Secretary Doug Burgum directed the action, with communications deputy Matthew Middleton providing comments. The terminated groups include the Hispanic Access Foundation, Latino Outdoors, the American Alliance of Museums, Conservation International, the Cultural Landscape Foundation, the Green Schools Alliance, the Doris Duke Foundation, the National Wildlife Federation, the California Native Plant Society, Clean Ocean Action and the National Geographic Society.
Implications
The terminations halt DEI initiatives in national parks, environmental-justice projects and scholarships for undocumented students. By ending contracts with groups advocating fossil-fuel phase-out, immigration services or race-based programs, the department signals a shift toward policies emphasizing “responsible stewardship” and tangible public benefits.
Official Statements
The department’s press release said the action aligns partnerships with the administration’s priorities and the American people’s interests. Officials stressed continued focus on public-land access, responsible resource management and measurable outcomes.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The announcement cites 43 terminated partnerships, yet the accompanying list mentions additional organizations, leaving the exact count unclear. Criteria for labeling a partner as “directly opposing” were not disclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Under Secretary Burgum, the Department of the Interior is ending partnerships with groups that no longer represent the priorities of the American people,” — Department of the Interior spokesperson
- “Under President Trump and Secretary Burgum, the Department of the Interior is taking decisive action to ensure its partnerships and resources support the priorities of this administration and the interests of the American people,” — Matthew Middleton, principal deputy communications director
- “As part of that commitment, the Department is ending relationships with organizations whose advocacy for phasing out baseload energy, defunding law enforcement services, and promoting racially preferential programs directly conflicts with this administration’s priorities.” — Matthew Middleton
- “As part of that commitment, the Department is ending relationships with organizations whose advocacy for phasing out baseload energy, defunding law enforcement services, and promoting racially preferential programs directly conflicts with this administration’s priorities. Interior will continue to invest in partnerships that expand access to public lands, promote responsible stewardship, and deliver tangible benefits to the American people.” — Matthew Middleton
What's Next
The Interior Department said future collaborations will undergo stricter alignment reviews. Monitoring of its partnership strategy will continue as the administration pursues broader rollbacks of DEI, tighter immigration enforcement and expanded energy development.
