Trump Job Cuts Threaten Safety at National Parks, Workers Say

National Park rangers throughout the US are warning of impending danger to visitors, wildlife and natural resources as job cuts and hiring freezes slash staffing at some of the country’s most beloved destinations.

As part of sweeping job reductions across the federal workforce, the Donald Trump administration abruptly fired about 1,000 workers across the National Park Service last Friday, many of whom were in probationary periods for their roles. Despite a presidential order to exempt any positions related to public safety, NPS employees say essential safety functions are being affected. That’s partly because of the parks’ already limited staffing levels, which even before the Trump cuts often required workers to take on responsibilities outside their job descriptions.