— lawyers for president donald trump s administration say he has the authority to abolish national monuments meant to protect historical and archaeological sites across. Executive actions modifying the boundaries of several large protected areas generated a significant legal dispute regarding the limits of presidential power over federal lands. · billings, mont. · the 13-months-and-counting wait for an appeals court to rule on the legal underpinnings of us national monuments leaves in limbo president donald trump ’ s executive authority to protect or abolish them as the white house rolls back public lands protections. · the department issued a legal opinion this week that trump can shrink or eliminate national monuments , overturning a 1938 opinion saying presidents did not have the power to abolish. While the act grants the president power to designate monuments, it does not explicitly authorize their reduction or revocation. · the trump administration has long touted the downsizing and elimination of national monuments , and a legal opinion from the department of justice argues that the president has the power. · the us department of justice released a legal opinion on tuesday stating that president donald trump has the power to abolish two national monuments established by former presidents. · the legal battle over national monument reductions centers on the scope of presidential authority under the antiquities act. · explore the legal controversy surrounding the president s power to modify or revoke protected national monuments.
