A DOJ legal assessment concludes that President Trump may fully abolish national monuments, contradicting a long-standing interpretation that barred such actions. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lanora Pettit argues this revocation is justified under the Antiquities Act, which has historically enabled the creation of national monuments without clear provisions for their dismantlement. Pettit's memo recommends disavowing a 1938 opinion by Attorney General Homer Cummings, which maintained that the Act prohibits presidents from abolishing monuments. This shift could significantly reduce federal land protections established over decades.
The Department of Justice has concluded that President Trump can completely abolish national monuments, overturning an interpretation held for nearly 90 years.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lanora Pettit’s memo asserts that the President should disavow a 1938 opinion barring the revocation of national monuments.
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