1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the National Park Service's decision to feature President Trump's portrait on the 2026 America the Beautiful pass and the subsequent policy voiding passes that have been altered by visitors. Since 2004, the $80 annual pass has featured sweeping landscapes or iconic wildlife selected through a public photo contest, with past winners showcasing places like Arches National Park and images of bison. The 2026 design breaks from this tradition by displaying side-by-side portraits of Presidents George Washington and Trump, rather than the contest-winning photograph of Glacier National Park. This represents a fundamental departure from the nonpartisan nature of our public lands. The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit challenging this design, arguing it violates federal requirements that the annual pass display a winning photograph from the national parks photo contest. Executive Director Kierán Suckling characterized the design as part of a larger pattern of branding government materials with Trump's name and image. I agree with this assessment. Our national parks belong to all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, and should remain neutral spaces that celebrate natural beauty rather than individual political figures. The National Park Service's updated policy now voids passes that have been defaced or altered, specifically targeting visitors who have covered Trump's image with stickers. This policy punishes paying customers who purchased an $80 pass in good faith and provides access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. If I have paid for a pass, I should be admitted to parks without interference based on how I choose to personalize my property. I urge you to support legislation requiring the National Park Service to return to its longstanding tradition of featuring contest-winning nature photography on the America the Beautiful pass and to prohibit the voiding of valid passes based on cosmetic alterations that do not affect their functionality. Our public lands should unite Americans, not divide them.