National Parks Annual Pass Now Features Trump's Face

The Department of the Interior has unveiled a redesigned “America the Beautiful” National Parks annual pass featuring a prominent portrait of President Trump, prompting immediate legal challenges from conservation groups and an unexpected boom in the decorative sticker industry.

Sources confirm the new design, which replaces the previous nature-focused imagery with a portrait of the President alongside the slogan “Making America’s Parks Great Again,” went into effect at all National Park Service locations as of Monday.

“Our National Parks are a treasure,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum at the unveiling ceremony. “And who better to represent that treasure than the man who has done more for America than any president in history? This pass celebrates both our natural heritage and our greatest leader.”

"

Some people might say it’s unusual to put a living president on a National Parks pass. But President Trump is an unusual man. He deserves unusual recognition. This is how we honor greatness.

The pass features a photograph of Trump in what the Interior Department describes as “a dignified, presidential pose,” superimposed over imagery of Mount Rushmore. The President’s face appears roughly three times larger than the carved presidential faces in the background, which the department says was “an artistic choice, not a statement about relative importance.”

The redesign has been controversial. Within hours of the announcement, the Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, and eleven other environmental groups filed suit in federal court seeking to block distribution of the new passes.

“National Parks belong to all Americans,” said Sierra Club executive director Ben Jealous. “They shouldn’t be used as campaign merchandise. This is a blatant violation of the Hatch Act and basic principles of public land management.”

The lawsuit argues that using federal property for what plaintiffs describe as “political promotion” violates multiple statutes. It also notes that the new design required diverting $3.2 million from park maintenance budgets to cover printing and distribution costs.

Administration officials have dismissed the lawsuit as “frivolous.” White House spokesperson Steven Cheung noted that “honoring the President is not political — it’s patriotic,” and suggested the plaintiffs “should spend less time filing lawsuits and more time enjoying our beautiful parks.”

"

For 150 years, the National Park Service has been a symbol of our shared natural heritage, belonging equally to all Americans regardless of political affiliation. This redesign transforms public property into a political billboard. We will fight it in court.

Perhaps the most unexpected consequence of the redesign has been a surge in sales of decorative stickers. Outdoor retailers report that stickers designed to cover or modify the new pass have become their fastest-selling items.

REI, the outdoor recreation cooperative, has seen a 4,000% increase in sales of nature-themed stickers since the announcement. “We’ve never seen anything like it,” said an REI spokesperson. “We’ve had to emergency-order from every supplier we have. People are buying ten, twenty stickers at a time.”

Etsy sellers have also reported booming business in custom-designed covers. One popular design features a cartoon grizzly bear positioned to appear as though it’s eating the presidential portrait. Another simply features the word “PARKS” in large letters, covering the entirety of the new design.

Not everyone opposes the redesign. At Yellowstone National Park, ranger stations reported lines of visitors specifically requesting the new passes. “I think it’s beautiful,” said visitor Martha Cunningham, 62, of Mobile, Alabama. “The President loves this country. Why shouldn’t he be on the pass?”

A group called “Patriots for Parks” has organized a “Pass Appreciation Day” for next weekend, encouraging supporters to visit National Parks specifically to display the new passes. Event organizers expect “thousands” of participants across all 50 states.

The Interior Department has announced that a “limited edition gold-trimmed collector’s version” of the pass will be available for $250, with proceeds going to “park enhancement projects to be determined.” The collector’s version features a holographic presidential seal and comes in a commemorative presentation box.

At press time, the President had not commented on the controversy, though he retruthed several posts praising the new design and added: “The parks have never looked better. Neither has the pass!”