The U.S. Department of Justice released a May 27 legal opinion asserting that the President holds the authority to shrink or abolish national monuments designated by predecessors—reversing a restraint held in place since 1938. This opinion opens the door to potential revocation of monument status, including recent designations like the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla sites in California and monuments that have been clouded in long term controversy like Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante.