The Department of the Interior has refused to release documents related to President Trump’s controversial Freedom 250 initiative, prompting watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility to file a lawsuit in the United States District Court in Washington, DC.
Congress created America250 as the official, bipartisan commission to oversee the nation’s 250th anniversary, with specific safeguards to ensure transparency and public accountability. However, when the administration failed to gain control of that commission, says PEER, Trump announced the formation of Freedom 250, a private entity.
Since then, reports have surfaced that Interior Department funds are being directed to Freedom 250 through the National Park Foundation and that Freedom 250 is being used to sell access to the president, hide donors, and use taxpayer funds to pay for propaganda.
Specifically, PEER notes that recent reports show that Freedom 250 is:
- Diverting $100 million in taxpayer funds from America250 without congressional approval.
- Co-mingling private funds with taxpayer dollars with no oversight or accountability.
- Selling access to President Trump for up to $2.5 million.
- Seeking foreign donations.
- Using public employees to promote a private entity.
- Using taxpayer funds to push a partisan agenda.
In response to the reports, PEER filed multiple Freedom of Information Act requests seeking documents in February related to Interior's role in the creation, funding, and operation of Freedom 250. Interior has refused to turn over any documents.
“America’s 250th anniversary celebration is supposed to be an occasion for strengthening public trust in our democratic institutions, not eroding it,” said Tim Whitehouse, PEER’s executive director, after filing the lawsuit. “In contrast, Freedom 250 is a privately managed slush fund designed to operate with no transparency, no accountability, and no guardrails. It epitomizes what is wrong with politics today. It also continues a pattern of Secretary Doug Burgum dispensing with a variety of legal safeguards to improperly facilitate Trump projects – particularly around the nation’s capital.”
The FOIA requests sought records related to any transfer or reprogramming of funds connected to America250 and Freedom 250; communications between Interior leadership and Freedom 250 regarding governance, fundraising, or event planning; documents showing whether Interior staff, National Park Service resources, or National Park Foundation infrastructure are being used to support Freedom 250; and any approvals, agreements, or memoranda governing Freedom 250’s relationship with the Department.
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