US national parks staff in 'survival mode' to keep parks open amid Trump cuts

Source: The Guardian

Across the US's fabled but overstretched national parks, unusual scenes are playing out this summer following budget cuts by Donald Trump's administration. Archeologists are staffing ticket booths, ecologists are covering visitor centers and the superintendents of parks are even cleaning the toilets.

The National Park Service (NPS), responsible for maintaining cherished wildernesses and sites of cultural importance from Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty, has lost a quarter of its permanent staff since Trump took office in January, with the administration seeking to gut the service's budget by a third.

But the administration has also ordered parks to remain open and accessible to the public, meaning the NPS has had to scramble remaining staff into public-facing roles to maintain appearances to the crowds of visitors. This has meant much of the behind-the-scenes work to protect endangered species, battle invasive plants, fix crumbling infrastructure or plan for the future needs of the US's trove of natural wonders has been jettisoned.

"It's nearly impossible to do the leadership role expected of me," said one superintendent who heads a park in the western US who didn't want to be named for fear of retribution from the administration.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/07/us-national-parks-trump-cuts

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Some parks have had to shorten visitor hours, with the inevitable result being long lines at entrances. Law enforcement at parks has been severely cut. All 13 lifeguard positions are vacant at the Assateague Island national seashore in Maryland and Virginia, so swim at your own risk.

All so our billionaire oligarchs don't have to pay taxes.