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Patagonia Plans to Sue Trump: ‘The President Stole Your Land’

Even after fleece season, Patagonia continues to impress us. On Monday, following President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would reduce the size of two national monuments in Utah — Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante — the outdoor clothing company spoke out on the matter.

“The President stole your land,” read the brand’s homepage and posts on social media, calling his actions illegal. “This is the largest elimination of protected land in American history.”

“We’ve fought to protect these places since we were founded and now we’ll continue that fight in the courts,” said Rose Marcario, Patagonia’s president and CEO.

Bears Ears was created last December by President Barack Obama, and will be reduced by about 85 percent. Grand Staircase-Escalante, which was designated in 1996 by President Bill Clinton, will be reduced from nearly 1.9 million acres (nearly 3,000 square miles) to 1,003,863 acres (1,569 square miles), according to the AP.

You can read more on Patagonia’s website, and take action, here.

Update: December 5, 11 a.m.

Patagonia has announced its intention to sue the Trump administration over the protection of Bear Ears land. The brands’ founder, Yvon Chouinard, told CNN, “I’m going to sue him.” The legal premise for the suit, according to GQ, relies on the idea that the Antiquities Act gives presidents the power to establish national landmarks and endow them with protections, but it does not give them power to remove the protective status later. There have been previous instances where presidents peeled back protective status, but those were not challenged in court.

Patagonia Slams President Trump, Plans to Sue