Trump Administration Rolls Back Endangered Species Act Habitat Protections

The Trump administration has modified the Endangered Species Act in a move that critics say will allow harm to protected wildlife habitats. The changes were jointly introduced by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce. Both agencies framed the rollback as restoring the law to its original intent rather than expanding it. Officials argued that previous interpretations of the act had resulted in years of regulatory overreach. The modification marks a significant shift in how habitat protections for endangered species will be enforced going forward.