Twenty US States File Joint Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Weakening Core Protections of the Endangered Species Act

According to Al Jazeera, attorneys general from twenty Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C. filed two lawsuits on Wednesday, accusing the Trump administration of illegally weakening landmark protections for endangered species through a final rule issued less than two months ago.

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said at a press conference: "The Trump administration is attempting to undermine the law itself, the will of Congress, and the desire of the overwhelming majority of Americans to protect endangered species." He continued: "This administration's attitude toward land and water is not one of stewardship, but of plunder."

The lawsuits target a final rule recently issued by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce. The new rule narrows the definition of "harm" in the 1973 Endangered Species Act. Under the new rule, activities such as mining and oil drilling can proceed in endangered species habitats as long as such activities do not "directly and intentionally" target a specific animal. The plaintiffs argue that this represents a "stunning reversal" that strips away the long-standing species protections achieved through habitat conservation.

The second lawsuit challenges two additional rules: the first eliminates broad protections for newly threatened species unless the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service separately issues species-specific rules; the second requires the government to consider objections from private businesses before designating "critical habitat." The states allege that these modifications reduce the actual protections afforded to endangered species below the standards established by Congress.

The 1973 Endangered Species Act is widely regarded as the cornerstone of U.S. nature conservation legislation and has long been credited with helping recover populations of species such as the bald eagle, grizzly bear, and humpback whale. However, Trump campaigned for his 2024 reelection under the slogan "Drill, baby, drill," promising to open more protected lands to oil exploration and private development. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement: "Protecting our wildlife and environment means protecting our future. Yet President Trump seems to care only about himself and his industry friends." Environmental organizations had previously filed separate lawsuits over the regulatory changes.

The Trump administration argues that existing environmental protections have "gone too far" and accuses the states of trying to preserve "regulatory overreach" beyond what Congress originally intended. According to Reuters, citing a Department of the Interior spokesperson: "It is the federal agency's duty to faithfully execute the text of the Endangered Species Act, rather than expand its scope through the preferred interpretations of advocacy organizations."

The outcome of the lawsuits remains uncertain, and it remains to be seen how federal courts will weigh Congress's original legislative intent against the executive branch's restrictive interpretation of the term "harm." Critics worry that the Trump administration's sweeping cuts to environmental regulations could trigger irreversible changes, pushing species toward the brink of extinction.