{
  "id": 8124842,
  "title": "How the Trump Administration Weakens the Endangered Species Act",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/how-the-trump-administration-weakens-the-endangered-species-act",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T23:36:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tempo.co English",
    "slug": "tempo-co-english",
    "url": "https://en.tempo.co/read/2119821/how-the-trump-administration-weakens-the-endangered-species-act"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United States government is altering the interpretation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) under the Trump administration, according to reports from The New York Times and US officials, as reported by DW. The change, outlined in a memo signed by Brian Nesvik, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, could limit protections for wildlife unintentionally harmed by human activities, according to AFP. The new guidance defines \"take,\" which covers actions such as killing or capturing protected species, to only apply to intentional conduct directed against specific animals. This implies that accidental deaths of protected wildlife, resulting from activities like commercial fishing and logging, would no longer be considered unlawful under the ESA. This move is seen as a significant loophole, as Dan Ashe, former director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, told the Associated Press, stating that it relieves people of responsibility for their actions, even when consequences are foreseeable. The Interior Department confirmed the memo's authenticity, stating that it aligns with the agency's guidance for implementing the ESA post the rescission of the regulatory definition of \"harm.\" This change follows a series of modifications to the ESA during the Trump administration, including considering economic factors when deciding on species protection and redefining \"harm\" to allow activities like oil drilling and mining in endangered species habitats. Democratic-led states have challenged these changes, with attorneys general from 20 states and Washington, DC filing a lawsuit against the administration over its modifications to the ESA.",
  "summary": "The Trump administration is narrowing Endangered Species Act protections, including for wildlife accidentally harmed by human activities.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}