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Trump signs order to remove endangered species protection for grey wolves

Confirmed1 source · Sep 5, 2026

The executive order directs the Interior Secretary to determine within 90 days whether grey and Mexican wolf populations have recovered enough to be de-listed from federal protection.

Trump signs order to remove endangered species protection for grey wolves
Image via BBC News

What happened

President Trump signed an executive order removing endangered species protection for grey wolves and Mexican wolves. The order does not immediately allow ranchers to kill wolves but instead instructs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to determine within 90 days whether these populations have recovered sufficiently to warrant removal from the endangered species list. The order cited ranchers as playing a vital role in the food supply chain and US cultural heritage, noting that livestock herds are at a 75-year low while beef demand has risen 10% over the past decade. There are approximately 18,000 grey wolves in the US and 319 Mexican wolves in the wild as of 2025, up from just four Mexican wolves when reintroduction began in 1998.

Context

The order reflects tension between livestock industry concerns and conservation efforts. Ranchers have viewed wolves as threats to their herds, though environmental groups dispute the magnitude of this problem, noting that wolves are already entitled to causing 100% compensation under existing state and federal programs and that wolf attacks on livestock are rare with minimal impact on rancher income. A previous federal de-listing attempt in 2022 became tied up in litigation, and conservation groups have indicated they intend to challenge any Interior Department action resulting from this order. The move comes as the Trump administration is attempting to address record-high beef prices driven by drought and livestock disease, while also facing rancher frustration over loosened beef import restrictions.

What's disputed

The significance of wolf attacks on livestock and their impact on rancher profitability. Environmental groups contend such attacks are rare and have little income impact, while the administration's order emphasizes support for the ranching industry.