ST. LOUIS – A new billboard featuring the Gateway Arch is turning heads. It’s part of a nationwide campaign protesting federal cuts to the National Park Service.
The billboard displays a scenic photo of the Gateway Arch National Park with springtime trees in bloom, accompanied by this message: “Greetings from Gateway Arch National Park. Now with reduced staff. Made possible by $ D.O.G.E.”
That said, you won’t find it in St. Louis. This specific billboard is on display in Des Moines, Iowa.
More Perfect Union, a pro-labor advocacy group, says it placed 300 billboards across 40 U.S. cities to draw attention to staffing reductions and funding cuts at national parks that stem from the Department of Government Efficiency.
The department, more commonly known as DOGE, is an initiative of President Donald Trump’s second term that is led by billionaire Musk. It aims to reduce government spending and consolidate the federal workforce.
DOGE’s website claims that the department has saved $170 billion through federal workforce cuts as of May 11.
More Perfect Union argues these cuts have been harmful to national parks, resulting in fewer rangers, reduced maintenance and limited public programming.
Regarding the Arch billboard and the broader campaign effort, More Perfect Union shared this statement with FOX 2 on behalf of Executive Director Faiz Shakir.
“National Parks are some of our nation’s most cherished resources. They provide a space that all people – old, young, rich, poor – can enjoy equally and find their lives are enriched by amazing experiences. But that’s not something oligarchs care much about. Some elected officials and unelected billionaires would rather privatize or eliminate our public services, we believe strongly in the need for great public parks and outdoor spaces that all Americans can enjoy.”
Des Moines is located nearly 350 miles northwest of St. Louis. Though physically distant, Gateway Arch is the closest national park to Des Moines and draws visitors from all across the Midwest, one reason More Perfect Union chose to feature it there.