Funding cuts, 'DEI Yeti': Parks visitors blast Trump’s history order
From "DEI Yeti" to “whitewashing” U.S. history, the Trump administration asked Americans to report any signs or monuments that cast the nation in a negative light. And it got an earful.
Some 35,000 comments poured in, and while a significant number of them were nonpolitical in nature, copy-paste duplicates, jokes, memes or submissions written by the same person, an overwhelming majority of the unique entries were critical of the White House's effort to rid the national parks of "woke ideology."
The comments collected from June 4, 2025, to Jan. 14, 2026, were in response to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in the first few months of his second term that called on federal officials to scour monuments, memorials and statues and remove language the administration said may "inappropriately disparage Americans."
To bolster that effort, the Interior Department put up what critics call "snitch signs" with QR codes in national parks to encourage visitors to report any signage that portrays Americans negatively or centers narratives about enslavement, land theft or discrimination.
Most of the comments with a partisan edge take issue with the NPS campaign or mock it.
“Signs asking visitors to report ‘negative’ stories about America are censorship and the rewriting of history. It’s gross and embarrassing. Just like how the world views Trump," one person commented. "There’s nothing that needs to be changed − this is a part of history that should be remembered, especially because the current administration is intent on rewriting history.”
Commented another: “I heard someone saying that the DEI Yeti lives here. Please look into this because it makes me feel racist.”
Some visitors criticized what they described as "woke" culture, though these comments represented a fraction of the responses.
“An interpretive sign at the North Carolina Monument on Seminary Ridge to provide ‘context’ added couple of years ago regarding Confederate monuments and racism," wrote one person. "Is it really needed as several of the Confederacy were not fighting just for slavery. Perhaps the sign should be reviewed as it was clearly added under the last administration to be more ‘woke’.”
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, the Interior Department said that it "worked to identify materials that might warrant clarification," and that "elevating an item for consideration does not mean it violates the Order, and it does not mean it will be changed."
"In the vast majority of cases across the system, flagged materials remain unchanged," the department said, adding, "We are not in the business of explaining the [Trump Derangement Syndrome] of others."
Here is a representative sample of the comments, which have been minimally edited for clarity.
On staffing, funding cuts
“Oh my god the NPS is 1/16th of 1% of the national budget and generates so much more money for every dollar spent on the parks, why are you so focused on slashing this, it will not fix anything, I’m begging absolutely begging someone to use their brains please. Buy like two less military planes and you’ve saved the same amount of money problem solved you’re welcome.”
“leave the NPS alone. they do a good job. They need the employees and FUNDING, not massive cuts to either”
“Stop firing NPS employees under the false guise of ‘saving money’! I live within 2 hours of 5 parks/monuments and they are a huge part of my town’s economy especially the Grand Canyon. They employ so many people who are vital for the parks and monuments to actually run! DOGE shouldn’t be cutting the NPS, and our administration needs to give them more funds - and protect them for the public. Has anyone at upper admin visited employee park housing and seen how run down some parks are?”
On Stonewall, LGBTQIA+ representation
“Taking the T&Q (Transgender and Queer) out of the way this park tells the history of Stonewall is inaccurate and incomplete. Fix this!”
“Put back the signs with Transgender and Queer . They are the real heros”
“I’m upset to find that there is no information about the transgender people who led the riots at the stonewall inn! The people of color and lgbtqia people who helped to create this bar should fully be recognized for their impact on the history that happened here! I believe that this is something that should be repaired!”
“Bisexual and Transgender people were at the forefront of this history. We will not be erased. Ps. There is no such thing as the ‘Stonewall Community’. We are LGBTQ+”
On ‘restoring truth and sanity to American history’
“Keep an accurate portrayal of american history in our national parks. Even if its not necessarily positive. These new signs to report anything that shows america in a negative light is incredibly weak. This is a weak mans request. Good lord.”
“This sign asking for ‘sign or negative information about the past’ is the worst part. How dare you erase our country’s history. How dare you create ignorance and racism.”
“This sign inviting reporting of ‘negative’ information deeply offends my sense of what it means to be an American–our commitment to freedom and truth! This is outrageous and upsetting.”
“Any initiative to erase diversity from the history of American parks is not only a waste of time it does the American people a huge disservice in limiting the perspective of history. History is a tapestry of events resulting from many views from many different perspectives. ‘White-washing’ history is akin to painting over classic works of art because some people would prefer to look at something else.”
On the institution of slavery
"This site DOES NOT PROMOTE ENOUGH about slavery and it’s impact on the nation. What it has is excellent but it isn’t enough. Too much is overlooked. I’m an old white guy and I want more facts, NOT LESS. Why are you afraid of the truth?"
"Please leave current exhibit about slavery during Colonial era alone. The truth does not disparage. If true its history"
"Please protect the signs and information pertaining to slavery at the site of the former presidential house. These exhibits have been integral to my work with students. They benefit from learning about the role of enslaved people in our early history, especially the ways that enslaved people pushed for freedom."
"Exhibits about slavery are excellent teaching tools and need to remain in the park"
On land theft, Native American history
"Thank you NPS staff, for keeping our history accurate. The US Military did massacre Native Americans at Sand Creek (and elsewhere) in the conquering of native lands as the US expanded west. There is no other way to say it or explain it. Please keep telling the hard truths about our history. We are all humans, and humans make bad choices sometimes. We either learn from history or we repeat the same mistakes."
"It is important to preserve the accurate history of Sand Creek as a massacre site, a massacre perpetrated by the US Cavalry against Native Americans (mostly the elderly, women and children). A marker referring to a supposed 'Sand Creek Battleground' was removed in recent years because this was NOT a battleground, but a massacre site. This marker must not be returned to the site, as might be required by the 'Secretarial Order' from the current administration. Please do not try to whitewash the history of this site. Historical accuracy is important, current political whims are not. Thank you."
"I wish there had been more information about the Native Americans and their way of life and history before Europeans arrived."
"I did not appreciate the way that the national park service seems to have erased that this land was property of the native americans and their history is completely left out of all signage and displays. We are Americans. We do not erase our history. We own up to it and do better in the future. There is a lot of value in showing how we hav this movement to erase our history is shameful. And disrespectful"
On supporting the effort to 'restore truth and sanity'
"This website contains opinions that the government should not be propagating. It is not a fact that South Carolina seceded to 'preserve slavery'. It is biased as well because it reads like that was the only reason South Carolina seceded which ignores other facts. It is also an opinion that Confederates firing on Ft. Sumter was the 'opening of the Civil War'. The paragraph in question is not based in history and should be rewritten."
“The display with gay and lesbian activists marching for equality should be taken down. This is woke propaganda and does not belong with the Liberty Bell displays.”
"Recently staff from this Park presented at the Gettysburg College Civil War Seminar. On behalf of the NPS, they shared questionable educational program ideas on how to promote a woke ideology of American history. This is clearly in violation of the recent Executive Order. I hope this Park is not conducting this kind of program. We should celebrate our nation and give a balanced view of history. This is clearly a modern woke presentism viewpoint."
"I was deeply disappointed with the History at Sunset program at Old Salem Church. This is the description of the program: 'At the beginning of its history Old Salem Church was a house of worship for a community of enslavers and the people they enslaved.' And did they get that point across during the presentation ... every time they said 'enslaved' or 'enslaver' I cringed. (wasn't the NPS directed not to use such inflammatory language?) I felt ashamed of being white, which I guess is the point of the whole program - WHITE = BAD Why does the majority of Fredericksburg's programming end up being the same theme? 'white people are bad, especially white southerners' Is there nothing else to talk about at the Park? Is this an agenda driven Park? Why do all these audience centered programs all seem to come back to this one theme? Race. I'm very disappointed in the way my tax dollars are being spent."
"Extremist political ideology not allowed per recent EO, yet 'land acknowledgment' propaganda remains on display in Sunrise WA ranger lodge on Mount Rainier"
On the truly absurd
“Didn't see any Bigfeets, I want my money back”
“How can this be a ‘National Park’ if there are not Bear's to steal our Pick-a-Nick Basket's?”
“I was walking in the park today with my dog and a woman walked by with a friend and she said, ‘the park is hotter than hell today!’. I am not sure if this is the type of thing you want to hear or not but comparing our park to hell seems like something you would want to know. Thank You for your time.”
Trevor Hughes contributed to this report.
Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at [email protected].