Key facts
- The Trump administration has weakened endangered species protections through regulatory changes.
- Key changes include redefining 'harm' to exclude habitat destruction and easing critical habitat designations.
- Environmental groups and 20 states have sued to block these rule changes.
- The Endangered Species Committee approved the first ESA exemption in over three decades for Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operations.
- An internal memo directed narrower interpretation of the ESA's prohibition on 'take.'
The Trump administration has systematically weakened regulations designed to protect endangered wildlife as part of a broader effort to streamline permitting for energy, mining, agriculture, and other development projects. These actions, spanning from April 2025 to September 2026, have drawn significant opposition from environmental groups and several states.
Key regulatory shifts include redefining 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to exclude habitat modification unless animals are directly injured or killed. This change, finalized in July 2026, was met with lawsuits from environmental organizations. The administration also made it easier to exclude areas from critical habitat designations by considering economic and national security impacts, and ended automatic protections for newly listed threatened species.
In a notable move, the Endangered Species Committee granted an exemption to Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operations from certain ESA requirements, citing national security and domestic energy needs. This was the first such exemption in over three decades. President Trump also directed the Interior Department to review the delisting or downlisting of gray and Mexican wolves.