In a memorandum issued last month by the U.S. Interior Department, it was stated that all gift shops, bookstores, and concession stands operating in national parks throughout the United States must clear their shelves of all retail items promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives by December 19th.
The move stems from a series of executive orders issued by President Trump at the start of his second term, fulfilling a campaign promise to end DEI programs within federal agencies. Trump deemed DEI programs, which aim to consider representation quotas for groups such as women, minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace, as a form of “illegal discrimination”.
On January 20th, an executive order was issued to terminate DEI, labeling it as “a massive waste of public funds and shameful discrimination.” Trump emphasized the focus on merit-based job opportunities over diversity initiatives, believing in serving all individuals equally with dignity and respect.
Another executive order issued on January 21st advocated for restoring merit-based employment, criticizing DEI policies for undermining American values of diligence, excellence, and personal achievement. The order aimed to eliminate DEI programs within federal agencies and encouraged the private sector to do the same.
Several major corporations and renowned universities have already scrapped their DEI programs in response to the administration’s stance.
National parks in the U.S. are managed by the National Park Service under the Interior Department, responsible for preserving natural and cultural heritage sites while providing recreational and educational services to the public.
President Trump expressed concerns about the negative portrayal of American history and called for highlighting the nation’s cultural achievements and breathtaking natural landscapes.
The Interior Department stated that clearing DEI merchandise aims to create a “neutral space” serving all visitors, eliminating discriminatory policies and initiatives based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. Many conservative think tanks argue against taxpayer-funded facilities promoting divisive ideologies.
According to the Interior Department, the objective is to ensure national park gift shops remain focused on their core mission of protecting natural and cultural resources for the benefit of all Americans, refraining from endorsing specific viewpoints.
Stefan Padfield, Executive Director of the Free Enterprise Project at the conservative think tank National Center for Public Policy Research, criticized the left-leaning government’s promotion of “radical and divisive” ideologies through book sales as absurd. The challenge faced by the Trump administration lies in determining what is deemed acceptable or unacceptable.
Officials from the National Park Service and entities overseeing the management of park gift shops mentioned uncertainty regarding which items will be removed from shelves and prohibited for sale. The memorandum did not specify any banned items, suggesting that all products sold within park premises and online, including books, t-shirts, keychains, magnets, badges, and even pens, will undergo a neutrality review.
Establishing a comprehensive review process is crucial to ensure all supplier merchandise holds educational value, aligns with the park or historical site’s themes, and ultimately gets placed on the shelves of national park stores.
(Note: This article contains references from reports by the Associated Press.)