Trump Administration Proposes Land Transfer from Yosemite to Private Developer

President Trump's administration is pursuing a proposal to transfer a portion of Yosemite National Park to a private developer, a move critics argue undermines longstanding protections for federally protected lands.

According to reports from NOTUS, the National Park Service is considering giving Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a Nevada-based real estate firm, control of a 0.25-mile stretch of parkland—or an easement granting private access—in exchange for a parcel of comparable value elsewhere in California. The developer currently owns 83 acres adjacent to the park’s boundary, approximately five miles from its iconic sequoia groves. Its stated goal is to construct a road connecting its property to a major road within the park, providing direct access to federally protected forests.

Under current conditions, Kingsbarn Realty’s land is accessible only via a 10-mile detour from one of the park’s entrances, far removed from high-traffic areas such as Yosemite Valley. The intended use of the 83-acre tract remains unspecified, though without the proposed road, it would require a 90-minute drive to reach the valley’s main attractions.

Four individuals familiar with the matter told NOTUS that the Department of the Interior, including top political leadership, has actively pressured the National Park Service to accommodate the developer’s request. One anonymous source described the intervention as unusual political pressure aimed at expediting the exchange.

Cicely Muldoon, who served as Yosemite’s superintendent for five years and spent 40 years with the National Park Service, emphasized the historical significance of public land preservation. “The national park idea began in Yosemite with Abraham Lincoln’s protection of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove,” she said. “Our fundamental responsibility is to preserve these places unimpaired for future generations—not surrender them for private profit.”

If approved, the deal would reverse a century-and-a-half policy of shielding national parks from private encroachment. It follows other actions by the Trump administration that have reduced protections for public lands, including opening protected areas to fossil fuel extraction and shrinking national monuments.

Meanwhile, the administration continues to face scrutiny over its approach to public lands and environmental stewardship. The proposed land transfer represents yet another instance in which federal policy appears to favor commercial interests over conservation.

In a separate development, internal dynamics within the White House have raised questions about the influence of senior advisers on contentious policy matters. Reports indicate that Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff and a key architect of the administration’s immigration agenda, has leveraged access to the president’s social media curator to shape messaging.

According to two sources cited by Zeteo, Miller directed Natalie Harp, a White House staffer known informally as the president’s “human printer” for her role in compiling and sharing positive news coverage and social media posts for Trump’s approval, to expedite the posting of anti-immigration content. Miller has long overseen the administration’s stringent immigration enforcement policies, including efforts to restrict birthright citizenship.

This behind-the-scenes influence underscores concerns about the consolidation of power within a small circle of advisers, even as Miller has receded from public view following controversies related to his immigration policies.

Elsewhere, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remains absent from public view nearly three months after being hospitalized in June. His office has provided limited updates on his recovery, including a statement released on August 6 indicating he had been discharged from a rehabilitation facility to continue physical therapy at home.

Despite repeated inquiries, McConnell’s communications team has declined to offer additional details on his health or anticipated return to the Senate. When pressed on August 27 by HuffPost reporter Jennifer Bendery, spokesperson Stephanie Penn stated only that she had “nothing to add” to the August 6 release.

McConnell was hospitalized on June 14 after being found unconscious at his home. His office has not explained the nature of his condition beyond a brief mention of a “mild case of pneumonia,” and has shared only minimal visual evidence of his recovery, including a staged photo from July 12 showing him seated with his wife and holding a newspaper.

Public concern has grown amid the lack of transparency, particularly as the Senate remains in session without its top Republican leader in attendance.

Additionally, President Trump announced he will not attend the 25th anniversary commemoration of the September 11 attacks in New York, opting instead to participate in ceremonies at the Pentagon. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum has maintained a policy since 2012 of keeping the annual event nonpolitical and has declined to allow speeches by elected officials.

Vice President JD Vance will represent the administration in New York. Trump plans to travel to his golf course in Doonbeg, Ireland, the following day, a decision that reportedly aims to avoid air traffic complications in the New York–New Jersey region. Earlier reports had suggested he would visit Ground Zero, but organizers confirmed he would not be permitted to speak there.