Trump Opens National Monument
In a bold move to restore American sovereignty over its natural resources, President Donald J. Trump has signed a major executive order reopening the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to commercial fishing — reversing years of restrictive policy that blocked American fishermen from working in U.S. waters.
The monument spans nearly 500,000 square miles of ocean — an area twice the size of Texas — and holds vast economic potential for the U.S. fishing industry. Located in the central Pacific, this region was locked down under previous Democrat administrations in the name of environmental protection, despite its importance to the U.S. seafood supply chain.
“This area is part of our exclusive economic zone. It belongs to us. There’s no reason our own fishermen should be banned from harvesting American waters,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a press conference at the White House. “This is about jobs, food security, and common sense.”
Only U.S.-flagged vessels or foreign ships with American workers onboard will be allowed to operate in the reopened waters, between 50 and 200 nautical miles off the coast. The decision is expected to boost coastal economies, lower food costs, and restore independence to the U.S. fishing industry at a time when Americans are feeling the strain of rising grocery prices and global instability.
In a second executive order, President Trump instructed the Departments of Commerce and Interior to review all other marine national monuments, signaling that more pro-jobs changes may be on the horizon.
But the move drew predictable outrage from Democrats and environmental groups. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) criticized the order, accusing President Trump of “rolling back protections” despite the fact that these offshore zones are often inaccessible, underused, and economically vital.
Critics of the previous policies point out that under the Biden economy, American fishermen have been forced to compete with foreign imports while being blocked from fishing in their own waters — a clear example of Washington’s backward priorities.
By reopening this vital marine region, President Trump is once again standing up for American workers, national security, and economic freedom.
