Trump Administration Orders National Parks to Remove DEI Merchandise

Sat Dec 13 2025 16:22:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Interior Department mandates parks to eliminate items from gift shops deemed contrary to ‘neutral’ values as part of a broader crackdown on diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The Trump administration has issued a directive requiring national parks to remove merchandise that it considers to promote divisive ideologies pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by December 19. This move has sparked debates over censorship versus educational integrity, raising concerns among conservation groups about its implications for the National Park Service's mission.

The Trump administration is expanding its crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by mandating national parks to purge gift shop items it considers objectionable.

According to a memo from the Interior Department, all national park gift shops, bookstores, and concession stands have until December 19 to clear their shelves of retail items that contradict President Donald Trump’s policy objectives.

The agency claims the goal is to create 'neutral spaces that serve all visitors.' This initiative falls within a broader campaign to eliminate what the administration perceives as discriminatory practices against individuals based on race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. This campaign has already prompted several major corporations and universities to retract diversity programs.

However, conservation groups argue that this initiative resembles censorship, undermining the National Park Service's educational mandate. Conversely, conservative think tanks assert that taxpayer-funded establishments should not endorse ideologies they deem divisive.

Park service employees and gift shop managers report uncertainty regarding specific items that will be banned, creating a climate of fear about potential retribution for speaking out anonymously.

Alan Spears, a director at the National Parks Conservation Association, contends that removing educational merchandise, particularly history books, amounts to 'silencing science and hiding history.'

Critics of the initiative, including those within the industry, view the review of gift shops as an inefficient use of resources, especially amid current staffing shortages, maintenance backlogs, and budgetary challenges faced by national parks.

The directive remains vague, failing to provide clear examples of which items would be prohibited, leading to a considerable interpretative burden on park employees. While some parks have observed existing guidelines without additions, others are struggling with the consequences of this ambiguity.

Stefan Padfield, affiliated with a conservative think tank, acknowledged the difficulty in justifying the government's endorsement of 'radical and divisive' ideologies through sales of specific books and items.

Ultimately, this policy poses significant questions about the meaning of neutrality, free expression, and educational integrity within the realm of America’s cherished national parks.