Releases
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: President Trump Delivers Historic Victories for America’s Hunters, Anglers, and Outdoorsmen
The White House
September 18, 2026
President Donald J. Trump is delivering on his promises to America’s outdoorsmen by cutting red tape, removing burdensome and unnecessary restrictions levied by previous Administrations and expanding America’s great outdoor recreation sector that generates over $1.2 trillion annually and supports over 5 million jobs.
Last night, the President signed two Executive Orders to bolster American hunting and revive American saltwater angling. Industry leaders and stakeholders nationwide hailed the President’s leadership and commitment to restoring Americans’ access to Federal lands, revitalizing our Nation’s outdoor recreation economy, while conserving and protecting America’s abundant natural resources.
Here’s what they are saying:
Secretary Doug Burgum: “Sportsmen are among our greatest conservationists, and this administration is committed to supporting the men and women who help protect our public lands and wildlife. At @POTUS’ direction, @Interior will:
Expand hunting access
Promote habitat management
Improve migratory bird hunting authorizations
Encourage Sunday hunting
Support hunter education and youth and veteran programs
Putting American hunters, fishermen and outdoorsmen FIRST.”
Senator Tom Cotton: “Hunting is an important part of Arkansas’s culture and economy. Thankful President Trump is prioritizing America’s hunting heritage for future generations.”
Rep. Bruce Westerman: “Today’s executive orders signed by President Trump are generational victories for America’s sportsmen and women. The actions taken by President Trump expand access to public lands and waters, eliminate burdensome regulation, reinvigorate our outdoor economy and invest in the next generation of hunters and anglers. I’m proud to have advanced legislation on many of these policies through the Natural Resources Committee, including the reauthorization of the Great American Outdoors Act. I look forward to working with the Trump administration to codify these executive orders and support our nation’s hunters and anglers.”
Rep. August Pfluger: “For years, Washington made it harder to access the public lands and waters that belong to the American people. Today’s executive order by @POTUS expands wildlife access to hunters and anglers, rolls back overreaching Biden-era restrictions like the lead ammunition mandates, and opens up more opportunities for the next generation of sportsmen. I’m proud to support this action and applaud President Trump for rolling back the overreach of the previous administration.”
Rep. Addison McDowell: “Proud to join hundreds of anglers and hunters tonight as President Trump just signed an executive order reversing Biden-era restrictions on America’s outdoorsmen. By cutting burdensome red tape on fishermen and bringing outdoor recreation into the 21st century, President Trump is putting the American Outdoorsman First!”
The National Rifle Association : “The NRA is proud to stand beside @POTUS to protect the Second Amendment nationwide. We applaud President Trump’s newest executive orders protecting the storied tradition of American outdoorsmanship. 🤝”
Center for Sportfish Policy President and CEO Jeff Angers: “This Executive Order is a historic recognition of what millions of American anglers and coastal communities have known for decades: marine recreational fishing deserves a management system built for the way Americans fish. By prioritizing better data, stronger state partnerships and modern management approaches, President Trump’s order builds on our conservation gains creating a path to more reliable access and opportunity in America’s oceans.”
National Shooting Sports Foundation President and CEO Joe Bartozzi : “Today’s Executive Order by President Trump demonstrates that this administration stands with America’s sportsmen and women. This is a tremendous victory to ensure that America’s hunting heritage is protected for today’s hunters and the coming generations of outdoorsmen and women. NSSF has long championed several of these key policy issues, including protecting the right to use traditional ammunition, accessing public lands and increasing opportunities for Sunday hunting. We are proud to have led this fight and prouder still that the Trump administration is embracing commonsense policies to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports across America.”
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President and CEO Jeff Crane : “The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation commends President Trump for bringing together leaders from across the sportsmen’s community and recognizing the tremendous contributions hunters, anglers, trappers, and recreational shooters make to our nation. America’s outdoor heritage is one of our nation’s greatest traditions, and today’s event demonstrates the President’s continued commitment to ensuring these traditions remain strong for generations to come.”
Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam : “Hunters have been our nation’s most ardent conservationists for generations, and it’s terrific to see President Trump publicly recognize that in the White House Rose Garden. This Executive Order is an acknowledgment of hunters’ longstanding contributions to conservation, hunting access, sound waterfowl science, and hunter education. Our proud hunting heritage has been woven into the fabric of our great nation’s identity for 250 years, and this sort of commitment will help ensure it remains that way for future generations.”
Delta Waterfowl CEO Jason Tharpe : “We sincerely appreciate the President’s Executive Order as it highlights a number of Delta’s priorities for both ducks and duck hunters. Having the President affirm the need for access, addressing infrastructure on public lands, enhancing habitat through agreements with willing landowners and ensuring waterfowl hunting regulations are based on the best available data are all core needs and we appreciate the President’s leadership. Delta Waterfowl is deeply appreciative of President Trump’s historic announcement in furtherance of America’s hunting and conservation heritage. Simply put, this executive order will serve to benefit ducks and duck hunters for years to come and we look forward to working closely with the administration toward its implementation.”
National Marine Manufacturers Association President and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer : “Recreational boating and fishing are the foundation of America’s outdoor heritage and an important driver of our nation’s recreation economy. [Yesterday’s] actions further reaffirm the importance of ensuring Americans can access and enjoy our nation’s waters. Access supports American manufacturing, jobs, and small businesses across the country. Thank you to President Trump and his administration for recognizing the value of outdoor recreation and the American industries and communities it supports.”
Coastal Conservation Association President and CEO Pat Murray : “We’re grateful the Administration has taken this opportunity to emphasize the social and economic importance of recreational fishing. State-based management has never been more important for our federal fisheries and we applaud this critical need being highlighted in this Executive Order.”
American Sportfishing Association President and CEO Glenn Hughes : “The American Sportfishing Association thanks President Trump for this decisive action to improve management and data collection for America’s saltwater fisheries. This Executive Order will have long-term benefits for the sportfishing industry and America’s 15.5 million saltwater recreational anglers.”
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation President and CEO Kyle Weaver: “On behalf of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), we thank President Trump and his administration for recognizing the vital role hunters play in sustaining wildlife and for issuing the Reinvigorating America’s Hunting Heritage Executive Order that strongly aligns with RMEF’s mission to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage. We are honored by the president’s invitation to attend the White House ceremony where the policy was announced.
The order’s focus on expanding public access, actively managing habitat, facilitating wildlife movement and habitat connectivity, strengthening cooperation with state wildlife agencies, supporting science-based management of game populations, addressing predators and other population-limiting factors, and combatting invasive species closely reflects RMEF’s work for more than four decades. These priorities are central to our mission, and we look forward to working with the administration, federal agencies and state partners as the order is implemented.”
Sportsman Boats CEO Tommy Hancock: “Healthy fisheries and access to them go hand in hand. For American boat builders, this is about more than the boats we build. It’s about the families who spend time together on the water, the men and women whose livelihoods depend on the marine industry and our shared responsibility to conserve these resources. We appreciate President Trump and his Administration recognizing the importance of recreational fishing and taking action to strengthen conservation, improve fisheries management and preserve meaningful access.”
Rivers of Recovery Chairman Mitch Butle r: “Rivers of Recovery commends the Trump Administration for recognizing the importance of America’s hunting and fishing traditions and expanding access to these opportunities for our nation’s veterans. Our years of research have proven that intentionally designed outdoor experiences can produce measurable improvements in the well being of combat veterans, including reductions in symptoms of post traumatic stress, depression and anxiety. By strengthening access to hunting, fishing and the outdoors, this action supports both the healing of our nation’s veterans and the conservation heritage that makes these experiences possible.”
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Vice President of Government Affairs Ariel Wiegard: “America’s hunting heritage is worth protecting—and that starts with putting more wildlife on the landscape and more opportunity within reach of hunters. From expanding access to public lands to investing in the habitat, wildlife management, and community spirit needed to sustain the legacy of iconic game species like bobwhite quail, this Executive Order recognizes that conservation and hunting go hand in hand. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to work alongside the Trump Administration, states, landowners, and hunters to ensure America’s hunting traditions remain strong for generations to come.”
Mule Deer Foundation President and CEO Greg Sheehan: “Growing mule deer and other game populations requires healthy habitat and strong partnerships. We appreciate President Trump and his Administration’s focus on working with states, landowners, and conservation partners to address the factors limiting these herds. The Mule Deer Foundation stands ready to help deliver measurable conservation results.”
American Association of Meat Processors Executive Director Chris Young: “The American Association of Meat Processors is proud to support the President’s Hunter’s Bill of Rights. We are particularly excited about the effort to expand wild game donation programs across the United States and our members, the small meat processors of the country who butcher the vast majority of the wild game meat, stand ready to help keep this promise to the American people.”
National Deer Association President and CEO Nick Pinizzotto: “The National Deer Association is proud to celebrate the announcement of a Hunter’s Bill of Rights, especially the President’s keen attention to the issue of venison donation. There are so many places in this country that are experiencing hyperabundant deer populations. Venison donation programs are good for hunters, good for agricultural producers, and good for our small business partners in the meat processing community. We are excited to continue our work on this issue as hunting seasons start to open across the country”
Wild Sheep Foundation CEO Gray Thornton: “The Wild Sheep Foundation applauds the administration’s continued emphasis on hunting access, voluntary work with landowners, and care for public lands as vital parts of wildlife conservation. The Castle Mountains National Monument was wrongly closed to hunters and now we can look forward to correcting that error.”
Boone and Crockett Club CEO Tony Schoonen: “As fall hunting seasons begin across the country, the Boone and Crockett Club appreciates the administration’s timely attention to the important issues facing wildlife today. We look forward to working with the now mobilized agencies to address today’s challenges with quail, bighorn sheep, mule deer, and other species not yet fully recovered.”
American Conservation Coalition President Chris Barnard: “Hunting and fishing are ingrained in the DNA of our nation and serve as crucial tools for the conservation of our natural heritage. The American Conservation Coalition and our 150,000 grassroots members are glad to see the administration’s efforts to expand access and continue this American tradition in balance with our conservation needs.”
Contender Boats CEO Joe Neber: “The future of recreational fishing depends on healthy oceans and healthy fisheries. Anglers have long understood that good conservation and good access are connected. By putting better science, modern technology and more effective management at the center of federal fisheries policy, this Executive Order provides a stronger foundation for both.”
