National Park staff ordered not to reveal deaths as part of new policy
The Trump administration has reportedly ordered staff not to confirm details about deaths or serious injuries in US national parks; But officials are adamant that the policy does not amount to hiding information from the public.
In a statement to The Times, a Home Office spokesman said the “story” that the agency was trying to suppress information was “incorrect and reflects a significant mischaracterization of the Department’s guidance”.
An internal memo distributed in December 2025 and reported for the first time by Washington Post This week, he notes, Interior Department employees, including National Park Service staff, are not allowed to confirm deaths that have occurred at federal park facilities. Only “appropriate authorities” can confirm the death after coordinating with the communications office and notifying the deceased’s next of kin, the Post reported, citing the memo.
The memo did not specify which agency would be tasked with verifying the deaths, according to the Post.
The Home Office did not respond to The Times’ request to review the note. But as reported by the Post, it states that the department “will not confirm the severity of the injuries” and “can only state that one person was transported and the method of transport.”
Staff are only allowed to confirm that an incident occurred, the general location where the incident occurred and whether authorities responded, according to the Post.
This month, Park Service staff have offered few details about two deaths in California national parks, including one Saturday in Yosemite, where a young man died after falling from a nearly 2,000-foot waterfall.
A spokesperson for Yosemite National Park would only confirm the date of the incident, that it involved a 23-year-old man, and that the agency was investigating.
“Emergency personnel responded to the incident and the investigation is ongoing. No additional information is available at this time,” the spokesperson wrote.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not make a statement on the issue. Death in Sequoia National Park, The incident in which a teenager was killed after falling into the river.
A Home Office spokesperson told The Times in an email: “The guidance has been developed to create a more consistent approach to incident communication across the Department and is not intended to conceal deaths or delay information.”
“We continue to provide public safety information, statements, news releases and incident updates as appropriate, respecting investigative processes, privacy considerations, next of kin notifications and, in some cases, requests by family members not to release identifying information.”
But critics of the new policy say communicating basic information about deaths in parks is necessary because it can help make visitors aware of potential risks so they can take precautions.
For years the Park Service has frequently publishing press releases on the website a few days after death. The agency issued public statements about at least six deaths in June, including three heat-related deaths in Grand Canyon National Park and one death from a paramotor accident in Arizona.
inside Arizona press releaseHowever, the institution did not specifically state that the pilot died. Instead, we were told the person was “transported to the local coroner’s office.”
From 2014 to 2019, an average of 358 deaths were reported annually in national parks. according to public data. A significant portion of these were due to motor vehicle accidents, drownings and falls, but the figures also include cases of suicide and murder, as well as deaths resulting from a medical problem.
