Fact Check: Did Trump allow hunting in national parks?
WASHINGTON, DC: Social media users widely circulated claims in May 2026 alleging that the administration of US President Donald Trump had opened America’s national parks to hunting.
The rumors emerged after the Trump administration introduced several policy changes related to hunting access, while misleading and unverified claims further fueled confusion online.
Claim: Trump has opened America’s national parks to trophy hunters
A widely shared Facebook post published by "The Other 98% on May 9 claimed that 'America’s national parks are now open to trophy hunters.'”
The post alleged that, "Trump's Interior Secretary Doug Burgum quietly signed an order gutting hunting restrictions across 55 sites in the lower 48 states under National Park Service jurisdiction."
It also featured an image of a sign at Yellowstone National Park. Similar claims circulated on Reddit, where users alleged that the Trump administration was lifting hunting restrictions across national parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness areas.
The rumors gained traction after a May 4, 2026, report by The New York Times revealed that an April 21 memo from Interior Secretary Burgum directed officials to lift or reconsider hunting restrictions across several National Park Service units.
The report also referenced a spreadsheet outlining proposed policy changes, including a measure allowing hunters to wash and process game in public restrooms at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area.
According to the report, both the memo and the spreadsheet stemmed from Secretarial Order 3447, issued by Burgum in January 2026, which instructed the National Park Service to review existing hunting restrictions and submit recommendations for expanding hunting opportunities.
Fact Check: Reports exaggerate Trump’s hunting policy changes
However, several internet users questioned the authenticity of the claim, prompting fact-checking organizations to examine the evidence. Their research found that the viral claims mixed real policy developments with misleading statements and unverified information.
The Trump administration has eased hunting restrictions at some sites managed by the National Park Service (NPS), but the changes do not apply everywhere. As of now, it remains unclear whether any of the 63 congressionally designated national parks will officially change their hunting rules. Major national parks such as Yellowstone National Park and Yosemite National Park continue to prohibit hunting under separate federal protections.
Reports also confirmed that at least nine NPS-managed sites had relaxed certain hunting and fishing regulations, according to research by the National Park Conservation Association, a nonprofit group focused on protecting US national parks.
While the NPS said that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s order expanded access to hunting and fishing, it did not provide detailed information about the policy changes.
On May 4, the NPCA published a statement raising concerns about the reported changes. The organization said it had confirmed new rules at two locations: Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve had removed a ban on alligator hunting, while Curecanti National Recreation Area had removed a rule that previously prohibited people from firing weapons from, toward, or across trails.
