While there is plenty of support for President Trump’s announcement to reduce the size of the Bear Ears National Monument, the Ute Tribe is not among the supporters. The Ute Tribe announced in a press release dated December 4th that the Tribe “will be filing a lawsuit against President Trump, Secretary Zinke, and others in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia to hold them accountable for their actions in this matter.” The Tribe says that Monday’s announcement serves “as an affront to the sovereignty of the Ute Indian Tribe and all Tribes in the United States.” The Ute Tribe maintains their position that “the Antiquities Act does not give a President the authority to revoke or shrink an established National Monument…” The Tribe plans to file the lawsuit challenging the President’s action as soon as the action is executed.
