Meet the 'God Squad,' the Powerful Endangered Species Panel That Just Pared Back Protections

The Trump Administration's Endangered Species Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to exempt oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from federal wildlife protections, marking only the third exemption granted in the panel's nearly 50-year history. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth requested the exemption citing national security concerns and Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly a fifth of global crude oil. The Gulf of Mexico is home to 20 threatened and endangered species, including the Rice's whale, of which only about 50 remain in the gulf. Environmental groups like Oceana condemned the decision, arguing the exemption strips away critical protections without a genuine emergency justifying the action. The committee had not convened since 1992, and the decision represents the Trump Administration's latest effort to roll back environmental protections under the Endangered Species Act.