American Left Unhappy with Trump’s Fish and Wildlife Nominee

MARCH 27, 2025 |

Photo – Brian Nesvik – Bigfoot99 file photo

Donald Trump’s nomination of former Wyoming Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik to serve as the next director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent shockwaves through the American left.

“Devastating news for wildlife and endangered species,” wrote Susan Holmes, the executive director of the Endangered Species Coalition. The title of the article was “Trump declares a war on wildlife.”

Environmental groups have been angling to block Nesvik’s nomination.

Nesvik’s resume is impressive. He worked his way up the ranks, from a game warden in Laramie and Pinedale. Then he served as Cody Regional Wildlife Supervisor in 2010, and one year later was promoted to Chief Game Warden and Wildlife Division Chief.

Governor Mark Gordon appointed Nesvik as Wyoming Game and Fish Director in 2019. During his tenure as director, Nesvik tackled issues such as grizzly management and aquatic invasive species, as well as the ongoing challenges in managing healthy mule deer populations.

He retired from Game and Fish in 2024 after more than 29 years with the agency.

Throughout his career with the state wildlife agency, Nesvik served in the Wyoming Army National Guard. After 35 years with the Guard, Nesvik retired as a brigadier general in 2021.

Near the end of his career with Game and Fish, Wyoming became the focus of the world with the Daniel Wolf Case. The agency fined a resident of Daniel, Wyoming, $250 after he ran down a young female wolf in the wild with his snowmobile, muzzled it, and then hauled it to a local bar where the animal was put on display before being shot dead. The incident became a lightning rod with critics crying for harsher punishment.

Under Wyoming law, at most, the case could have been brought to court as illegal possession of live wildlife, but not animal cruelty or illegal take of a wolf.”

That was the window dressing for Nesvik’s nomination hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday. Fireworks did not emerge. Even from Senate Democrats, the questioning was polite, even friendly.

Sharing a table with two EPA nominees also selected by Trump, Nesvik fielded a few polite questions from Democrats and enjoyed praise from Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Wyoming Senator John Barrasso introduced Nesvik, saying the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is an agency that plays a critical role in Wyoming and the nation.

In his introduction of Nesvik, Senator Barrasso pointed to Nesvik’s time in the Wyoming National Guard, where he has served since 1986, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. Nesvik served as commander during two deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad and southern Kuwait.

Governor Mark Gordon provided a brief introduction at the start of the hearing. The governor described Nesvik as a man “who has an abiding commitment to his family, this nation and to service.”

The governor went on to praise Nesvik’s leadership skills, describing it as both exemplary but not easy. From managing grizzly bears to recovering the elusive, black footed ferret, the Governor said Nesvik knows the issue and who to call when looking for answers. Wyoming’s governor went on to describe a conversation he had with Nesvik while hunting on horseback in a remote area. The governor described Nesvik as “assiduous,” a person who shows great care and perseverance, looking for the positives in any situation.

Senator Cynthia Lummis described Nesvik as the right man for the job at the right time, saying he will focus on collaborative partnerships. Lummis thanked Nesvik for his “call to service.”

Speaking to the panel, Nesvik pointed to the country’s first conservationist, President Theodore Roosevelt, saying that if confirmed “to enter this arena,” he would dare greatly.

The most interesting line of questioning aimed at Nesvik came from Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan. Sitting next to a series of graphics illustrating his points, Senator Sullivan described how the Biden Administration “locked up” the nation’s last frontier with executive orders barring development.

On January 20^th of this year, shortly after taking office, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.”

The committee hearing adjourned shortly after those remarks. Senators have until this Monday, March 31^st to submit any further written questions. Nesvik will have one week to respond in writing as the nomination process continues.

The only real objection Wednesday, to Nesvik, came from the Sierra Club, which issued a statement that spoke in general terms about the appointment, saying the Trump Administration has “no interest in protecting wildlife.”