Is trumps picture really on national park passes?
Executive summary
Multiple reputable outlets and the Interior Department confirm that the Department of the Interior unveiled new 2026 America the Beautiful annual-pass artwork that includes a design pairing a portrait of President Donald Trump with George Washington for the U.S. resident annual pass [1] [2]. The decision has prompted immediate backlash and a lawsuit from the Center for Biological Diversity arguing the image violates the law governing park-pass artwork [3] [4].
1. What actually happened: Trump’s likeness appears on 2026 resident passes
The Interior’s announcement and its published materials show updated annual-pass artwork for 2026, and one of the new designs features a side-by-side portrait of Donald Trump and George Washington; Interior communications and reporting indicate that the Washington/Trump composition will be used for the resident annual pass while a Glacier National Park vista will be used for the nonresident pass [1] [2].
2. Legal challenge: an environmental group sued to remove the image
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 10, 2025 seeking to have Trump’s image removed from the pass and asking a judge to find the administration in violation of the law that governs images on the America the Beautiful pass; multiple news outlets reported the suit and summarized its core legal claim [3] [4] [5].
3. The statutory issue at stake: contest rules and selection process
The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act requires pass images to be selected through a public competition known as the “Share the Experience Photo Contest,” and reporting and advocacy pieces say critics contend the Trump portrait circumvented or replaced the contest-winning Glacier National Park image [6] [5]. Available sources do not include the Interior’s full legal defense text in the lawsuit filing; the Department’s announcement frames the change as part of “modernized” artwork and pricing reforms [2].
4. Interior’s rationale and policy changes behind the redesign
The Department of the Interior presented the redesign as part of a broader modernization that includes digital passes, new resident-focused pricing, and updated artwork framed as “America-first” and commemorative for the nation’s 250th anniversary; the DOI said changes launch Jan. 1, 2026 and emphasized digital functionality and a resident/nonresident pricing split ($80 resident, $250 nonresident in the DOI release) [2].
5. Reaction from conservationists, park professionals and the public
Conservation groups, park staff and commentators described the move as politicizing or branding public lands; SFGATE quoted park-ranger leadership and reporting emphasizes outrage that a portrait of the sitting president replaced the contest winner and traditional landscape imagery [7] [8]. The Center for Biological Diversity framed the action as “crass” and “ego-driven” in its press materials and lawsuit [3].
6. Practical implications for buyers and visitors
Multiple outlets note a practical window: passes purchased in December 2025 remain valid for 12 months, so consumers can still obtain 2025-design passes that will cover 2026; outlets also report that nonresident buyers will see a different Glacier vista design while the Trump/Washington artwork is slated for the resident pass [9] [10] [1].
7. Conflicting narratives and what to watch next
The Interior casts the redesign as modernization and patriotism tied to the 250th anniversary [2]; opponents argue the action violates the statutory photo-contest process and improperly uses public property for personal branding [3] [6]. The legal challenge is the clearest mechanism to resolve that conflict; its outcome will determine whether the portrait remains on official passes [4].
8. Limitations, unanswered questions, and what the sources don’t say
Available sources confirm the imagery and the lawsuit but do not provide the full administrative record explaining precisely how the Trump/Washington artwork was selected in place of the contest winner, nor do they include the Interior’s legal briefs in response to the suit [1] [3]. Sources also do not report a court ruling as of the latest coverage; readers should expect court filings and agency responses in coming weeks [4].
Bottom line: multiple official DOI releases and independent news outlets report that the 2026 resident America the Beautiful pass will feature a portrait of Donald Trump alongside George Washington, and that the decision has prompted an immediate lawsuit asserting the change violated the statutory process for selecting pass artwork [1] [2] [3] [4].