President Donald Trump is shrinking two national monuments in Utah, accepting the recommendation of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to reverse protections established by two Democratic presidents to more than 3.6 million acres. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said he was "incredibly grateful" that Trump called him on Friday to say he is approving Zinke's proposal on Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. Hatch's office said Trump said, "I'm approving the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase recommendation for you, Orrin." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders would not confirm that Trump will shrink the Utah monuments, saying she did not want to "get ahead of the president's announcement." Zinke recommended that the two Utah monuments be shrunk, along with Nevada's Gold Butte and Oregon's Cascade-Siskiyou.

Source: Fox News October 27, 2017 18:59 UTC