On Monday, July 13, 2026, President Trump signed two executive orders that slash nearly 3 million acres from the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah. This move reverses expansions made during the Biden administration and reignites a long-standing debate over presidential authority under the Antiquities Act.

Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox and the entire Utah congressional delegation attended the signing. They expressed support for the decision, stating that the monument designations being terminated were excessively large. Cox emphasized that under the Antiquities Act, monument designations are intended to protect the smallest area possible around antiquities. He noted that Utah has seven monuments ranging from approximately 700 to 7,000 acres, which align with the original intent of the Act.

The Antiquities Act of 1906 was originally enacted to prevent looting and vandalism of archaeological sites in the American Southwest. It criminalizes damaging or removing antiquities from federal land without permission. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, covering 1.9 million acres, was established in 1996 by President Clinton using this Act.

Governor Cox stated, “And so we’re grateful that the President has made a determination that we need to right-size these monuments again.”

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