Democratic attorneys general in 20 states and Washington, D.C., said the government had illegally rescinded landmark protections.
Published September 10, 2026
A group of U.S. attorneys general has sued President Donald Trump’s administration for weakening protections for endangered species.
A Democratic-led group of 20 states and the District of Columbia filed two lawsuits Wednesday.
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The complaint comes less than two months after the Interior and Commerce departments released a final rule that could make it easier for companies to develop sensitive land that is home to endangered species.
“The Trump administration is seeking to undermine the law, the will of Congress, and the will of the public, which overwhelmingly supports the protection of endangered species,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said at a press conference.
“This administration’s approach to our land and water is one of exploitation instead of stewardship.”
One of the two lawsuits alleges the government illegally narrowed the definition of “harm” in the Endangered Species Act of 1973, a landmark law to protect endangered plants and animals.
“Harm” under the law has long been interpreted to include threats to the habitat of those species.
But the states argued that the Trump administration’s new rules represent an “astonishing reversal of magnitude.”
Unless directed “immediately and intentionally” against specific animals, it would open the door to activities such as mining and oil drilling in sensitive habitats.
Environmental groups are also suing over the changes.
The second lawsuit filed Wednesday challenges two new rules. One is to eliminate broad protections for newly endangered species unless the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service creates species-specific regulations.
The second rule requires the government to consider objections from private companies before declaring an area “critical habitat.”
The lawsuit argues that such changes leave endangered species with fewer protections than what Congress outlined in the law.
The 1973 law has been credited with helping restore populations of animals such as condors, grizzly bears, and humpback whales. This is considered a significant achievement in U.S. conservation efforts.
But the Trump administration has promised to prioritize economic growth and roll back environmental protections.
“Drill, baby, drill” became a popular slogan during President Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign as he promised to open protected lands to expanded oil exploration and private development.
Critics of President Trump’s regulatory reforms worry that he will cause irreversible changes that will drive species toward extinction.
“Taking care of our wildlife and the environment is part of taking care of our future,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “But President Trump seems to only care about himself and his friends in the industry.”
But the Trump administration argues that environmental protections go too far.
The newspaper accused Wednesday’s lawsuit of trying to defend “regulatory overreach” that goes beyond what Congress intended.
“The role of federal agencies is to faithfully implement the Endangered Species Act as written, not to expand its scope through interpretations favored by advocacy groups,” an Interior Department spokesperson said, according to Reuters.
