FIRST ON FOX: The Department of the Interior has moved to end 43 external partnerships and cancel more than $4 million in planned funding, targeting programs tied to DEI, environmental justice and services for illegal immigrants. The action follows a sweeping review of nearly 3,000 active agreements and reflects a clear shift to align the agency with this administration’s priorities. This piece explains which types of groups were affected, why officials say the cuts were necessary, and what the department says it plans to support instead.
The review found many agreements “operating in direct opposition” to the department’s mission, and officials decided to terminate relationships that clashed with core objectives. Agencies pulled back from arrangements that focused on DEI initiatives, environmental justice strategies, and programs that provided support to undocumented immigrants. The move is framed as a realignment, not just a budget cut.
Department leaders were explicit: “Under Secretary Burgum, the Department of the Interior is ending partnerships with groups that no longer represent the priorities of the American people,” they said, and the department removed references to the terminated partners from its public materials. Internships, conservation projects, research efforts and cooperative programs were among the agreements stopped. The goal is to make sure every partnership delivers a clear public benefit tied to the department’s work.
A department-wide audit that began in March cataloged roughly 3,000 active pacts involving NGOs, nonprofits, private firms and educational institutions. Reviewers flagged some groups because they “did not appear to provide a clear benefit” or “did not align with the department’s mission,” and those findings drove the cuts. Scrutiny targeted organizations whose agendas were judged inconsistent with active policy goals.
Several organizations were cited for pushing policy positions at odds with the administration, including environmental groups that call for rapid fossil fuel phaseouts and advocacy groups that promote racially focused programming. The department highlighted partnerships that asked the agency to advance equity-focused climate policies and museum DEI efforts “to conduct a variety of educational and cultural support activities,” as examples of collaborations it will no longer maintain. Officials argued that public-land stewardship and energy security must come first.
Some named entities on the list include the Hispanic Access Foundation and Latino Outdoors, which had engaged in scholarship and outreach work, and national conservation groups the department said were campaigning against energy development. The Cultural Landscape Foundation and the American Alliance of Museums were also flagged for activities tied to cultural programming and museum-facing DEI initiatives. Other organizations affected range from conservation networks to education-focused alliances and national societies.
Administration spokespeople framed the move as decisive and principled. “Under President Trump and Secretary Burgum, the Department of the Interior is taking decisive action to ensure its partnerships and resources support the priorities of this administration and the interests of the American people,” a department official said, emphasizing mission alignment over broad engagement. They added that the department will focus on partnerships that expand public access to lands and promote responsible stewardship.
“As part of that commitment, the Department is ending relationships with organizations whose advocacy for phasing out baseload energy, defunding law enforcement services, and promoting racially preferential programs directly conflicts with this administration’s priorities. Interior will continue to invest in partnerships that expand access to public lands, promote responsible stewardship, and deliver tangible benefits to the American people.” That statement makes clear the priorities driving the review and signals what kinds of collaborations are likely to return in the future.
