Pro-Trump singer pens op-ed asking him not to shrink national monuments

Pro-Trump singer Joy Villa penned an op-ed to President Trump on Sunday, asking him not to shrink national monuments in the U.S. 

“President Trump has a remarkable opportunity to honor our history, our national treasures and our culture. I urge him in this vital time to leave protections for our national monuments in place and to use the Antiquities Act to preserve our lands and waters,” Villa wrote in an op-ed for Fox News.

{mosads}The singer, who wore a “Make America Great Again” dress to the 2017 Grammys, discussed her love of nature growing up as a means of advocating for the preservation of the national monuments. 

“Our wide, open spaces are the basis of American culture, their beauty captured in our music, art and literature. Nature inspired me to write the poetry and music I make today. Like our Constitution these shared landscapes are characteristically and beautifully American,” Villa said. 

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke proposed shrinking some national monuments last year. 

Trump signed two orders to shrink Bears Ears National Monument and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. 

The order took effect in February. 

Villa slammed Zinke in the op-ed, saying he was influenced by special interests in his move to shrink the monuments. 

“Secretary Zinke has been influenced by special interests and out of touch career politicians. I can assure you that Zinke can’t pull the wool over the president’s eyes; many have tried and many have found themselves without a job,” she said. 

American Indian tribes, environmental groups and outdoor clothing company Patagonia have sued the Trump administration over the monument rollbacks.