The Department of the Interior is moving to end 43 partnerships with outside organizations after determining the agreements no longer fit the Trump administration’s priorities.
The cuts will eliminate more than $4 million in planned funding for programs tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion, environmental justice initiatives, and services for illegal immigrants, according to information obtained by Fox News Digital.
The department, led by Secretary Doug Burgum, said the agreements were “operating in direct opposition” to its mission.
“Under Secretary Burgum, the Department of the Interior is ending partnerships with groups that no longer represent the priorities of the American people,” the department said.
As part of the move, DOI said it will terminate all agreements with the groups identified in the review and remove references to them from department websites.
The agreements covered a wide range of work, including internships, conservation programs, research projects, and cooperative partnerships.
The decision follows a department-wide review launched in March. That review found nearly 3,000 active agreements with roughly 2,000 outside groups, including nonprofits, nongovernmental organizations, private entities, and educational institutions.
According to the department, the review found that several groups “did not appear to provide a clear benefit” or did not align with DOI’s mission.
Among the organizations named were the Hispanic Access Foundation and Latino Outdoors. The department said the Hispanic Access Foundation offers scholarships for illegal immigrant Latino students, while Latino Outdoors provided information on avoiding detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
DOI also noted that Latino Outdoors has opposed oil and gas development. The Hispanic Access Foundation, meanwhile, has worked with the National Park Service on educational and cultural support activities.
The American Alliance of Museums was also cited. According to the department, the group had a contract with the National Park Service to help develop DEI programs across national parks through the agency’s Community Engagement initiative. DOI also pointed to the organization’s previous Facing Change initiative, which promoted DEI work in museums.
Conservation International was another organization flagged in the review. The department said the environmental group has advocated for a “total phase out of fossil fuels” and has described fossil fuels as a leading driver of planet-warming carbon emissions. DOI also cited the organization’s support for environmental justice and equity-focused climate policies.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation was also included on the list. The department said the organization has a master cooperative agreement with the National Park Service for educational and cultural support activities.
The group has opposed several Trump administration initiatives, including suing over changes at the Kennedy Center, criticizing plans for a White House ballroom, and highlighting historic sites it says are threatened by administration actions through its Landslide 2026: Erasing American History initiative.
“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,” Matthew Middleton, principal deputy communications director and director of research, told Fox News Digital.
Middleton said the department is ending relationships with groups whose positions on energy, law enforcement funding and race-based programs conflict with the administration’s agenda.
“Interior will continue to invest in partnerships that expand access to public lands, promote responsible stewardship, and deliver tangible benefits to the American people,” he said.
Fox News Digital said it contacted the Hispanic Access Foundation, Latino Outdoors, the American Alliance of Museums, Conservation International and The Cultural Landscape Foundation for comment.
Other groups named by DOI include the Green Schools Alliance, Doris Duke Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, California Native Plant Society, Clean Ocean Action and the National Geographic Society.
The decision is part of a broader push by the administration to roll back DEI programs, tighten immigration enforcement and expand domestic energy development. DOI said future partnerships will be reviewed to ensure they line up with the department’s mission and administration priorities.
