Donald Trump’s decision to halt funding for international conservation efforts has raised alarms among environmentalists, potentially putting endangered species like elephants and rhinos at greater risk from poachers. The president has frozen grants administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), a move that has prompted the Center for Biological Diversity to threaten legal action if funds are not restored. These resources are crucial for anti-poaching patrols and other global conservation initiatives, according to Sarah Uhlemann, the center’s international program director.
Uhlemann described Trump’s funding freeze as ‘maddening,’ ‘heartbreaking,’ and ‘very illegal.’ She emphasized that the Fish and Wildlife Service funds help protect elephants, rhinos, and other animals cherished by Americans worldwide. The Center for Biological Diversity has warned that this action violates the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which mandates that government decisions consider the impact on at-risk species.
The funding cuts are part of a broader effort by Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk to streamline federal agencies through the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency. Uhlemann criticized this as an attempt to sacrifice global wildlife for political gain, stating, ‘No one voted to let reckless power trips threaten the world’s most iconic animals.’
During his first term, Trump sought to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Now, with renewed efforts to bypass conservation laws, he is pushing through logging and fossil fuel projects that could further endanger vulnerable species. Uhlemann pleaded for an end to this destructive approach, warning, ‘This insanity has to stop or some of the world’s most endangered animals will die.’
Environmentalists are urging immediate action to restore funding and protect these vital conservation programs. The fate of elephants, rhinos, and other at-risk species hangs in the balance as pressure mounts on the Trump administration to reverse its harmful policies.