00:00A newly released legal opinion under the U.S. Department of Justice, says President Donald Trump, now has the power to abolish national monuments established by his predecessors.
00:11The 50-page document, dated May 27, reverses a 1938 interpretation of the Antiquities Act.
00:20National monuments in the U.S. are created by presidents in recognition of a site cultural, historical or scientific importance.
00:30National parks, on the other hand, are created by Congress to protect scenic features or natural phenomena.
00:36The new opinion sets the stage for Trump to eliminate federal protections for potentially millions of acres of land, including two California sites safeguarded by former President Joe Biden.
00:47It also aligns with plans to open federal lands for energy development, though no monuments have been fully abolished yet.
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