The Trump administration has been accused of attempting to bully the British government into abandoning its planned ban on trophy hunting imports, after the US Interior Secretary wrote to ministers urging them to reconsider. Doug Burgum's letter to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds claims the ban would harm conservation efforts, local economies and cultural sensitivities in the US and elsewhere.
The intervention comes amid growing political pressure in Britain, where the Labour Party pledged to ban trophy hunting imports in its manifesto. Defra minister Mary Creagh reaffirmed the government's commitment late last year, but repeated attempts to pass legislation have failed due to a lack of parliamentary time and opposition from pro-hunting peers in the House of Lords.
Eduardo Goncalves, founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, accused the Trump administration of meddling in British affairs. He said it was outrageous that the administration was attempting to bully the UK government into dropping a manifesto pledge supported by nine out of ten voters and virtually every party in Parliament. He added that the House of Commons had twice voted unanimously in favour of a ban.
Mr Goncalves noted that President Trump's sons, Donald Jr and Eric, are known trophy hunters, and that US hunting lobby groups such as Safari Club International and Dallas Safari Club had backed Mr Trump's re-election campaign. He claimed these groups had spent millions of dollars on disinformation and lobbyists in the UK to block the will of the people.
In his letter, Mr Burgum acknowledged the UK's intentions but argued that "legal, well-regulated hunting – particularly trophy hunting – plays a vital role in supporting healthy wildlife populations, restoring habitat and supporting local economies." He encouraged the UK to engage through established channels rather than pursue a blanket ban on all imports. It is understood that Baroness Hayman, who is responsible for developing the legislation, has spoken to representatives from the US embassy in London about the letter.
The UK government has yet to formally respond, but campaigners are urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to confirm that the ban will be legislated for this year, describing trophy hunting as "cruel, outdated and indefensible."
