The Trump administration is severing the Department of the Interior’s ties with 43 outside organizations after a sweeping review found that the groups’ activities conflicted with the administration’s priorities on energy development, immigration enforcement and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The move will terminate more than $4 million in funding tied to partnerships supporting internships, conservation work, research projects and other cooperative initiatives. The department is also removing references to the groups from its official 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“Under Secretary Burgum, the Department of the Interior is ending partnerships with groups that no longer represent the priorities of the American people,” the department stated.
The decision follows a department-wide review launched in March. Interior officials examined nearly 3,000 active agreements involving roughly 2,000 outside entities, including nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, private companies and academic institutions.
According to the department, the review identified dozens of partnerships that provided no clear benefit to the agency’s mission or supported policies that directly conflicted with the Trump administration’s agenda.
Among the organizations losing their partnerships is the Hispanic Access Foundation, which has provided scholarships for Latino students who are undocumented immigrants. Latino Outdoors, another affected group, has offered guidance on avoiding encounters with immigration authorities and has opposed oil and gas development on public lands.
The American Alliance of Museums previously held agreements to develop DEI-related programs in national parks. Conservation International has supported a phaseout of fossil fuels, describing them as a leading driver of carbon emissions and advocating equity-focused climate policies.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation also maintained a cooperative agreement with the department for educational and cultural activities. The organization has challenged several Trump administration policies through its “Landslide 2026: Erasing American History” project.
Other groups losing their Interior Department partnerships include the Green Schools Alliance, Doris Duke Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, California Native Plant Society, Clean Ocean Action and the National Geographic Society.
The department said the terminated agreements included organizations advocating policies such as eliminating fossil fuels, reducing funding for law enforcement and expanding race-conscious programs.
“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,” Matthew Middleton, principal deputy communications director and director of research told Fox News.
“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.”
The action is the latest step in the Trump administration’s broader effort to dismantle DEI programs across the federal government, strengthen immigration enforcement and expand domestic energy production.
