Trump administration moves to sell federal public lands to states and local governments

The Trump administration's Interior Department presented a 2026-2030 strategic plan to sell public lands to states, tribes, and local governments to decrease federal ownership and expand energy production. The agency, which manages over 750,000 square miles, faces immediate resistance from lawmakers including Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke and Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich. Congressional approval remains uncertain for Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

Interior Department strategic plan details

• ▪Interior Department officials stated that public land sales would focus federal resources on nationally significant lands, with a portion of sale proceeds returned to buyers for conservation elsewhere
• ▪The Interior Department's five-year plan for 2026 to 2030 offers no specific details on the scope, location, or specific tracts of federal land to be sold
• ▪The Interior Department's strategic plan was last updated four years ago under former Democratic President Joe Biden
• ▪The Interior Department's 2026-2030 plan includes strategic land transfers and exchanges to boost energy production, reflecting the Trump administration's policy view of public lands as assets for use rather than preservation
• ▪The Trump administration's Interior Department presented a five-year strategic plan for 2026 to 2030 to sell public lands to states, tribes, and local governments to decrease the federal estate's size

Bipartisan political opposition to public land sales

• ▪Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana announced opposition to federal land sales or transfers and pledged to vote against any such legislation before leaving Congress
• ▪Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico pledged to fight federal land sales, stating that public lands belong to the American people rather than private interests
• ▪In 2025, Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee proposed selling over 2 million acres of public land to states or other entities, but the proposal failed due to bipartisan opposition

Implementation constraints and future validity

• ▪Future presidential administrations will not be bound by the Interior Department's strategic roadmap of priorities and actions between 2026 and 2030
• ▪Implementation of the Trump administration's land sale goals by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum remains uncertain without cooperation from Congress

Debate over federal land ownership in Western states

• ▪State and local officials seek greater control over the mining, drilling, grazing, and recreation activities regulated by the Interior Department
• ▪Federal control over Western lands reaches nearly 80 percent in Nevada, creating long-standing debate over whether federal ownership protects land or hinders municipal growth