For Immediate Release
Washington, DC

President Trump’s threat to shut down the federal government rather than sign a spending bill that did not include full funding of his ill-conceived border wall puts federal workers and their families at economic risk during the holidays, and deprives all Americans of the services and protection afforded by the federal government. Federal employees play a vital role in the preservation of wildlife and their habitat, among many other things.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement: 

“President Trump is playing politics with the lives of millions of government employees and with the health and welfare of all Americans. It is reprehensible that he would force a government shutdown over his insistence on building an expensive, destructive and needless border wall.

“As a former federal employee and director of a federal agency, I know firsthand the important role that federal workers play in our daily lives. To treat them with such disregard speaks volumes about President Trump and his administration.”

For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on X @Defenders.

  

Media Contact

News

Image
Laura Nunes
Washington, D.C.

Defenders’ Laura Nunes Named to Prestigious ESIIL Working Group

Defenders of Wildlife scientist Laura Nunes has been selected to join the Environmental Data Science Innovation & Impact Lab’s third cohort of working groups.
Image
bobcat climbing rocks
Washington, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Partners with Rep. Don Beyer on Monumental Corridors Act

Defenders of Wildlife today celebrated the introduction of the Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026, a landmark bill that would establish a national framework for identifying, designating and protecting wildlife corridors across the country.