Lawsuit Challenges Trump Governance’s Use of President’s Image on National Parks Pass
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A new legal challenge has emerged over the planned design of the 2026 America the Gorgeous Pass,with allegations that the Trump administration improperly substituted an image of the former president for the winning photograph from a national contest. The lawsuit, filed on December 10th, alleges a violation of federal law and raises concerns about the politicization of America’s national parks.
Center for Biological Diversity files Suit
The Center for Biological Diversity filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in washington, D.C., arguing that the Department of the Interior (DOI) acted unlawfully when it replaced a photograph of Glacier National Park – the winner of the National Parks Foundation’s annual public lands photo contest – with a closeup of President Trump’s face for the 2026 pass. According to the suit, the Glacier National Park photo was subsequently “illegally relegated” to a new “Nonresident” pass.
“Blotting out the majesty of America’s national parks with a closeup of his own face is Trump’s crassest, most ego-driven action yet,” stated Kierán Suckling, the center’s executive director. “The national parks are treasured by Americans of every stripe.Their timeless power and magnificence rise above even the most bitter political differences to quietly bring all Americans together.”
Allegations of Illegal Actions and Politicization
The lawsuit further contends that the Trump administration broke the law by utilizing a photo that was “not taken on federal land and was not entered in the public contest,” and by establishing new Resident and Nonresident passes,which are explicitly prohibited by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.
Suckling continued, asserting that national parks “are not a personal branding chance.” “They’re the pride and joy of the American people,” he added. The center’s argument centers on the idea that the parks represent a shared national heritage, and should not be used for self-promotion.
New Pass System and Fee Changes
On November 25th, the DOI announced the launch of the “America the Beautiful passes,” designed to prioritize “American families first” through a new resident-focused fee structure beginning January 1, 2026. The passes were to feature images of animals, parks, and historical figures including President Trump alongside George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt, the president most closely associated with the creation of the national park system.
The administration also designated President Trump’s birthday as a fee-free day for national park visitors, while simultaneously removing Martin Luther King Jr. Day and juneteenth from the list of fee-free days.
“America the Beautiful means wild rivers and majestic mountains,not a headshot of a bloated,fragile,attention-seeking ego,” Suckling stated. “There’s nothing beautiful about that.”
Seeking Comment
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and the Department of the Interior for comment on the lawsuit and the allegations.
Why: The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to feature an image of former President Trump on the 2026 America the Beautiful Pass, replacing the winning photograph from a national contest.
Who: The lawsuit was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity against the Department of the Interior (DOI). Key figures include Kierán Suckling, the center’s executive director