A top Donald Trump official has written to the British Government calling on Labour not to pursue a blanket ban on trophy hunting imports.
US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said such legislation ‘risks unintended consequences’ for wildlife protection ‘both in the United States and abroad’.
In a letter to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, Mr Burgum urged her to ‘engage’ with ‘established channels’ to police the trade ‘rather than pursue a blanket ban of all imports’.
He warned: ‘While well-intentioned, the legislation risks undermining conservation efforts not only in the United States, but in communities around the world.
‘Legal, well-regulated hunting—particularly trophy hunting—plays a vital role in supporting healthy wildlife populations, restoring habitat, and supporting local economies.’
Labour pledged in its manifesto to ban trophy imports but has yet to table any legislation.
A private members bill brought by Tory backbencher David Reed last year called for a blanket ban – though it has failed to get a second reading in the Commons.
Previous attempts have also failed, most notably with the Tory government ditching a ban in 2022 and the Lords frustrating a private members bill until it fell in November 2023.
US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on the Presidential campaign trail for Mr Trump
Mr Burgum wrote to DEFRA Secretary Emma Reynolds raising concerns over a blanket trophy hunting import ban
Elephants in Botswana where local environmentalists say responsible trophy hunting can help manage the population
Conservationists and leaders in African nations have repeatedly slammed British MPs for such proposals to interfere in how they manage large, dangerous creatures native to their lands.
They say trophy hunting can be managed responsibly, with only animals at the end of their natural life targeted and the income used to fund conservation projects.
Former Botswana President described such Western diktats as ‘colonial’ in 2024 branding the legislative attempts ‘condescending and patronising’.
They have gained the support of ‘luvvies and leftie celebrities’ including former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker who was previously told to ‘stick to football’ over his interventions.
Dr Chris Brown, head of the Zambia Chamber of Environment, told the Mail: ‘I am very happy to take soccer knowledge, expertise and guidance from Gary Lineker, but I’m not so happy to take conservation in Africa, matters and opinions from him.
‘All your uninformed celebrities engage with the government and tell the government what is unethical and what isn’t – and from a position of total ignorance.’
The latest intervention from Washington underscores a deepening rift over the proposals, which critics say is more about placating celebrity‑driven activism than protecting endangered species.
Mr Burgum made clear his department’s alarm at the direction Britain is taking.
He said the proposed law risks undermining decades of globally recognised, science‑based wildlife management practices that have helped restore numerous species from the brink.
The Secretary highlighted the existing Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) framework which ‘provides a global mechanism’ to raise concerns.
He said this ‘ensures any sport-hunted trophy imported into the United States meets rigorous standards for legal compliance and contributes meaningfully to species conservation’.
Mr Burgum is a firm ally of Mr Trump and this month said Europeans should be ‘cheering’ for his plan to acquire Greenland which his office would then manage.
‘We have all of the ability to take on that responsibility, and again, it would be a win for all democracies in the world if the U.S. was exerting more authority there,’ he said.
It is understood they are still taking advice from stakeholders on the matter.