Full Breakdown
Trump to Sign Executive Orders Shrinking Utah Monuments
7/12/2026, 12:38:53 AM
Expected Executive Orders
President Donald Trump is slated to sign two presidential proclamations or executive orders on Monday, July 13, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. EST in the Oval Office. The actions would reduce the boundaries of Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Bears Ears National Monument. No details on the extent of the reductions have been disclosed to reporters.
Historical Background
Grand Staircase-Escalante was created by President Bill Clinton in September 1996 under the Antiquities Act to protect 1.9 million acres of scientific, ecological, and paleontological resources. President Barack Obama designated Bears Ears in December 2016, covering 1.35 million acres and incorporating nearly 100,000 archaeological sites in partnership with the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Ute Indian Tribe. In 2017, President Trump reduced Bears Ears by roughly 85 percent and Grand Staircase-Escalante by about 46 percent. President Joe Biden restored both monuments to their original sizes in 2021.
Monument Size and Prior Reductions
- Grand Staircase-Escalante: 1.9 million acres (? 2,969 sq mi)
- Bears Ears: 1.35 million acres (? 2,125 sq mi)
- Combined area: 5,094 square miles
The 2017 reductions removed roughly 900,000 acres from Grand Staircase-Escalante and left Bears Ears in two non-contiguous units totaling less than 230,000 acres.
Official Government Responses
A White House official emphasized that “Any policy announcement will come directly from the President. This reporting about potential executive orders is pure speculation.” Both Congresswoman Celeste Maloy’s office and Governor Spencer Cox’s office declined to comment. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed that federal courts may review presidential monument designations under the Antiquities Act, a decision that may shape forthcoming litigation.
Opposition from Conservation Groups
The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), led by Executive Director Scott Braden, called the anticipated action “unlawful, unwise, and unacceptable,” arguing that the monuments’ biodiversity, geology, and cultural values merit protection. Tribal Nations and other environmental organizations have signaled readiness to challenge the orders in court or through Congress.
On-the-Ground Perspectives
Former Utah state Sen. Nate Blouin posted on X that the proposed reductions coincide with the Babylon Fire, which has burned more than 100,000 acres and is 25 percent contained. This claim has not been independently verified.
Conflicting Reports and Legal Gaps
Sources differ on how much land will be removed; no official map has been released. It remains unclear how the reductions will affect the lower-court lawsuit alleging that the monuments’ boundaries violate the Antiquities Act’s “smallest area compatible” requirement.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Any policy announcement will come directly from the President. This reporting about potential executive orders is pure speculation.” — White House official
- “Monday’s anticipated action by President Trump is unlawful, unwise, and unacceptable. These spectacular landscapes deserve to be protected for current and future generations, not opened to exploitation at the behest of Utah politicians.” — Scott Braden, Executive Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
- “ The Wilderness Society released the following statement from Axie Navas, its director of designation campaigns, in response to the news: "As America marks 250 years, national monuments remind us what makes this country special: the freedom to explore the outdoors and connect with the people, places and stories that shape us.” — Axie Navas, Director of Designation Campaigns, The Wilderness Society
- “We stand with the Tribal Nations who steward these lands, and local communities, wildlife, and the wild places that define who we are as Americans." ______” — Unattributed statement from SUWA press release
