If there's one thing Democratic and Republican voters can agree on, it's how much we love our national parks.

But our national parks are under assault.

Majestic public lands like the Grand Canyon. Shenandoah. Yellowstone. We can all come together to appreciate the beauty of Yosemite, even if some of us pronounce it a little differently. 

TRUMP (00:15) : When they gaze upon Yo-semites, Yo-semites, towering sequoias…

For over a hundred years, the National Park Service has been tasked with conserving America’s wonders. Our national parks, monuments, and historic battlefields —  which span 85 million acres in all 50 states — are public goods to be shared and enjoyed by all Americans. There’s a reason why the U.S. parks system has been called “America’s best idea.” 

Which is why it’s so infuriating that Trump and Congressional Republicans are taking an axe to the National Park Service budget.

The cuts will hit park operations the hardest, likely reducing hours of operation and leading to thousands of layoffs. That means fewer park rangers to guide tourists, conserve park lands, and much more…

[CLIP Park Ranger (1:36)]: These are the people who sell you tickets, give you programs… They rescue you from trails if you fall and break your ankle.

BOB: Our parks provide educational opportunities for students. They give us low-cost places to hike, camp, and fish. They preserve important cultural resources like historic buildings and archaeological dig sites. 

And these cuts won’t just be bad for people who want to visit our national parks. They would be bad for our economy, too.

CLIP Ranger (3:08): “The communities around Yosemite depend on the tourists. If they close the park, businesses are gonna close.” 

BOB:  In 2023, total visitor spending in communities surrounding our national parks hit a record 56 billion dollars and supported 415,000 jobs. The National Park System’s entire budget was just $3.6 billion. That’s some return on investment. 

Taking away national park services from the public simply doesn’t make sense. 

ANGUS KING CLIP (1:56) : To save virtually no money from the federal budget, we’re devastating one of America’s treasures.

Our parks belong to all of us as Americans — that’s part of what makes them beautiful.

And they’re being gutted so Trump can offer bigger tax cuts to his billionaire friends.

With our national parks, as with other public goods, our responsibility is to protect them for ourselves and for future generations.