Trump Plans Trip to Bears Ears

President Trump is planning to come to San Juan County, Utah, early in December to declare a reduction in size for Bears Ears National Monument. The San Juan Record reports that the visit – which would be the first to San Juan County by a sitting president – was confirmed by a staff person with the office of Utah Senator Mike Lee. Utah’s elected leaders have pressed Trump to rescind or reduce the 1.35-million-acre Bears Ears, which was created under the Antiquities Act by President Obama late in his final term. The San Juan Record reports Trump also may shrink the 1.9-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, created by President Bill Clinton more than two decades ago. However, there are legal questions about whether a president has the power to alter or rescind monuments without going through Congress, and any attempts to do so are sure to be challenged in court.