President Trump sharply cut the size of two national monuments in Utah, reducing the protected areas of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.

The Bears Ears monument, established to protect cultural and archaeological sites significant to Native American tribes, saw its boundaries reduced by approximately 85 percent, while Grand Staircase-Escalante was cut by nearly half, following a presidential proclamation issued in December 2017.

Native American tribes and environmental groups have announced they will challenge the decision in court, arguing that the reductions violate the Antiquities Act and threaten sacred lands and ecosystems.

The moves are part of a broader administration review of national monument designations, prompting concerns among conservationists about the future of protected landscapes across the American West, and sparking protests from outdoor recreation businesses and local communities that rely on tourism.

Legal experts anticipate the lawsuits could take years to resolve, and the outcome may set a precedent for how future presidents can alter or repeal national monument protections.