Some of theNational Park Service's 2026 annual passdesigns bear PresidentDonald Trump's face, but an environmental group is suing to stop it.
TheCenter for Biological Diversityfiled a lawsuit on Dec. 10, alleging the new design violates a law that requires the America the Beautiful pass to feature a photo taken on public lands that won anannual photo contest.
On Nov. 25, theDepartment of the Interiorannounced "new, modernized graphics for all annual passes, featuring bold, patriotic designs that honor America's landscapes, heritage and outdoor legacy."
Alater video fromSecretary of the InteriorDoug Burgumindicates the winner of the latest contest, a photo of Glacier National Park by Akshay Joshi, would be featured on a pass for non-residents. The center's lawsuit also alleges creating a new pass delineation between U.S. residents and foreign tourists is also in violation of the law.
For the annual pass for U.S. residents, Burgum pointed to a pass that showed Trump's official presidential portrait next toGeorge Washington's.
"Blotting out the majesty of America's national parks with a closeup of his own face is Trump's crassest, most ego-driven action yet," Kierán Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. "It's disgusting of Trump to politicize America's most sacred refuge by pasting his face over the national parks in the same way he slaps his corporate name on buildings, restaurants, and golf courses."
The Department of the Interior did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Department of Agriculture, also named in the lawsuit along with SecretaryBrooke Rollins, declined to comment on ongoing litigation.
More:Did Trump take MLK Day away? National Parks dropped it from free days.
See the 2026 America the Beautiful national park passes
See National Park Pass design with Trump's portrait:
TheCenter for Biological Diversityis a nonprofit headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, aimed at protecting species from extinction. The lawsuit alleges the Trump administration's decision is harmful for undercutting the contest results and forcing those who choose to get a pass to have a card it says the administration has turned into a "partisan political platform forPresident Trump."
Federal law also states that the departments can only make discounts for six groups in addition to the main America the Beautiful pass, according to the lawsuit. Those six groups are armed forces and their dependents, residents over the age of 62, disabled citizens and residents, veterans and Gold Star families, and volunteers. In the video, Burgum said the resident annual pass would sell for $80 while the annual pass for foreign visitors would sell for $250.
The lawsuit also included the photos of previous years' passes, which show scenic vistas and wildlife characters from public lands.
"Every winning Annual America the Beautiful Pass in the 12 years prior to 2026 was photographed on federal lands or waters, was not controversial or inappropriate, nor noticeably or excessively altered," the lawsuit stated.
National Parks also made changes to free days
The new pass designs come as the National Park Service made some controversial changes to its free access days. The free access days will only be available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
Two of the removed holidays celebrate Black history:Martin Luther King Jr. Day, honoring the work of the civil rights leader who advocated to end racism and segregation; andJuneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the day the last group of enslaved people learned they were free after the Union won the Civil War.
NPS also added to what it calls "patriotic fee-free days" in 2016, including Flag Day on June 14, which is also Trump's birthday.
Trumphas made rolling backdiversity, equity and inclusiona key priority of his second administration. The Department of the Interior did not respond to requests for comments on explaining the changes to the NPS fee-free days, though, removing theBlack history holidays has drawn criticism.
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her onX (Twitter),BlueskyandTikTok.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Nature group sues to stop Trump's pic from going on National park pass
