As part of recent budget cuts mandated by the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, aka Trump Chaos 2.0, the U.S. National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service laid off more than 3000 workers across the country. From park rangers and environmental educators to locksmiths and trail maintenance and wildfire prevention workers, the layoffs impacted a wide-ranging group of workers.
However, new polling from Data for Progress* finds that strong, bipartisan majorities of likely voters hold favorable views of the U.S. National Park Service (75%) and U.S. Forest Service (74%).

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Polling Highlights
- When asked how much they have seen, read, or heard about the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service recently laying off workers, a majority of respondents say they’ve heard either “a lot” (19%) or “a little” (44%), while 37% say they’ve heard “nothing at all.”
- Next, respondents were informed that the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service recently laid off more than 3,000 workers in an effort to cut federal spending, and that layoffs included park rangers, staff at park visitor centers, and staff who clean and maintain trails. After learning this, two-thirds of likely voters (66%) report that they are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about these staffing cuts. This includes a majority of Democrats (83%) and Independents (69%), as well as about half of Republicans (49%).
- Voters say their top concerns about the recent staff layoffs at the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service are potential economic impacts (16%), increased risk of wildfires (14%), and harm to wildlife (12%).

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*AutoInformed on
**Survey Methodology
From February 21 to 22, 2025, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,206 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and recalled presidential vote. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±3 percentage points. Results for subgroups of the sample are subject to increased margins of error. Partisanship reflected in tabulations is based on self-identified party affiliation, not partisan registration.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Trump Chaos – Voters Support Park and Forest Services
As part of recent budget cuts mandated by the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, aka Trump Chaos 2.0, the U.S. National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service laid off more than 3000 workers across the country. From park rangers and environmental educators to locksmiths and trail maintenance and wildfire prevention workers, the layoffs impacted a wide-ranging group of workers.
However, new polling from Data for Progress* finds that strong, bipartisan majorities of likely voters hold favorable views of the U.S. National Park Service (75%) and U.S. Forest Service (74%).
Click for more.
Polling Highlights
Click for more.
*AutoInformed on
**Survey Methodology
From February 21 to 22, 2025, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,206 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and recalled presidential vote. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±3 percentage points. Results for subgroups of the sample are subject to increased margins of error. Partisanship reflected in tabulations is based on self-identified party affiliation, not partisan registration.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.