Trending Now - Trump Forms Committee to Bypass Protections for Endangered Whales
WHO:
Truthout - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth requested exemptions to endangered species protections.
Ars Technica - Trump convened a committee referred to as the "God Squad."
WHAT:
The Guardian - If successful, the administration may kill off dozens of protected species, including Rice’s whales, whooping cranes, and sea turtles.
The Guardian - The “God Squad” has only been convened three times previously, with the only project it overrode the ESA being a dam that included provisions for at-risk cranes.
The Guardian - The Center For Biological Diversity's first lawsuit was argued on March 29th, 2026, during an emergency hearing, and a judge has yet to rule.
Truthout - Trump convened the "God Squad" committee to potentially override protections for endangered whale species.
Ars Technica - The administration aims to exempt all federally regulated offshore oil activities from protections under the Endangered Species Act.
WHERE:
Ars Technica - The actions pertain to federally regulated offshore oil areas.
WHEN:
Ars Technica - The committee was convened in 2026.
WHY:
Truthout - The request for exemptions was cited as being related to national security by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
HOW:
The Guardian - The administration is attempting to exempt itself and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from following specific protocols laid out in the ESA, citing national security threats as justification.
Ars Technica - The committee's formation is part of a broader strategy to increase oil production by bypassing the Endangered Species Act.
(UPDATED March 30, 2026 23:09 UTC)
The administration is seeking to exempt itself and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from certain protocols of the Endangered Species Act, claiming national security threats as justification, which could potentially lead to the extinction of numerous protected species, including Rice’s whales, whooping cranes, and sea turtles. The “God Squad,” which has only met three times before, previously overrode the Endangered Species Act for a dam project that included provisions for at-risk cranes. on Sunday, the Center for Biological Diversity argued its first lawsuit during an emergency hearing, and a judge has yet to make a ruling.
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(UPDATED March 30, 2026 21:15 UTC)
President Trump has convened a committee known as the "God Squad" to potentially override protections for endangered whale species as part of a broader strategy to increase oil production. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has requested exemptions to endangered species protections, citing national security as the reason behind this move. These actions specifically target federally regulated offshore oil areas and aim to exempt all related activities from the Endangered Species Act.