The Department of the Interior said a review found outside agreements that conflicted with Trump administration priorities, leading to the termination of partnerships and more than $4 million in planned funding.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Department of the Interior is ending 43 partnerships with outside organizations after a department-wide review found that some agreements no longer aligned with the Trump administration’s priorities.
The move eliminates more than $4 million in planned funding for programs connected to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, environmental justice work and services involving illegal immigrants, according to Fox News.
The department, led by Secretary Doug Burgum, said the identified agreements were “operating in direct opposition” to its mission. Interior said it is terminating all agreements with the groups and removing references to them from department websites.
“Under Secretary Burgum, the Department of the Interior is ending partnerships with groups that no longer represent the priorities of the American people,” the department said.
The terminated agreements included internship programs, conservation initiatives, research projects and cooperative partnerships.
The decision followed a review launched in March that uncovered nearly 3,000 active agreements with about 2,000 outside groups, including nongovernmental organizations, nonprofits, private entities and educational institutions, according to the report.
Interior said the review later found multiple groups that “did not appear to provide a clear benefit” or “did not align with the department’s mission.”
Among the groups identified was the Hispanic Access Foundation, which the department said offers scholarships for illegal immigrant Latino students and has worked with the National Park Service on educational and cultural support activities.
Latino Outdoors was also cited. The department said the group provided instructions on avoiding detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has advocated against oil and gas development.
Interior also pointed to the American Alliance of Museums, which it said had a contract with the National Park Service to build DEI programs across national parks through the agency’s Community Engagement initiative. The department also cited the group’s previous Facing Change initiative, which promoted DEI efforts at museums.
Conservation International was flagged because the department said the organization supports a “total phase out of fossil fuels.” Interior cited the group’s statements describing fossil fuels as the “leading culprit” of planet-warming carbon emissions, along with its support for environmental justice and equity-focused climate policies.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation was also included on the list. Interior said the organization has a master cooperative agreement with the National Park Service “to conduct a variety of educational and cultural support activities.”
The department said the foundation has opposed several administration initiatives, including suing over changes at the Kennedy Center, criticizing plans for a White House ballroom and highlighting cultural landscapes and historic sites it says are threatened by administration actions through its Landslide 2026: Erasing American History initiative.
Matthew Middleton, Interior’s principal deputy communications director and director of research, said the department is redirecting partnerships toward the administration’s stated goals.
“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,” Middleton told Fox News Digital.
“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,” he said.
Other organizations listed among those the department is cutting ties with include the Green Schools Alliance, Doris Duke Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, California Native Plant Society, Clean Ocean Action and the National Geographic Society.
The action is part of a broader Trump administration push to roll back DEI programs, strengthen immigration enforcement and expand domestic energy development.
Interior said future partnerships will be reviewed to ensure they support the department’s mission and the administration’s priorities.
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