...Trump was provoked by a notice from the Department of the Interior stating that it would allow American hunters to bring elephant trophies home from two East African countries, reversing a ban imposed by the Obama administration. A trophy can be almost any part of the animal you don’t eat. Foremost are the ivory tusks; shooting an elephant is virtually the only legal way to bring ivory into the United States. All other ivory imports are banned to discourage poaching...It evidently isn’t to Donald Trump’s taste, either, because when informed about the rule change he said he would ask Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to put it on hold while he, Trump, “review[s] all conservation facts.” Trump’s aversion to hunting, a favorite activity of his two oldest sons, is one of the counterintuitive aspects of his personality. Trump is a self-proclaimed tough guy, a fan of cops, soldiers and almost anyone else who carries a gun. A lover of steak and meatloaf, he seems not to care much about animals while they are alive. He is the first president since before the Civil War without a pet at the White House..But something about shooting at large animals doesn’t sit well with Trump, who is known for having strong, if unpredictable, reactions to emotional images on cable news. Lifting the trophy ban was hailed by the National Rifle Association and the rich guys’ hunting lobby Safari Club International, but it was broadly unpopular on social media and even with some of Trump’s most ardent supporters in the media. It will be interesting to see where he comes down on the question, because his pledge to “review all conservation facts” will thrust him into a contentious and long-standing scientific debate...more
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