No. They can't.
The Constitution clearly states that the only land the federal government can own is the ten miles square (or ten square miles, I forget) that makes up The District of Columbia and military forts, dockyards and Territories. Capital "T" Territories such as Guam and Puerto Rico, not lower case "t" territory.
Otherwise, the land belongs to the states.
Yeah, what you said.
A lot of people idolize Teddy Roosevelt, but the guy was a Progressive and had a lot to do with the notion that the Federal Government had an essential role in grabbing large amounts of land and keeping it away from the US citizens who might use it “inappropriately”.
States deserve to be much more powerful. The federal government should be weak as a kitten within our borders. But able to kick ass against enemies foreign and domestic.
That situation might be ideal, but the Property Clause opens the topic to disagreement among reasonable people, for better or for worse.
10 square miles, and necessary forts, armory and ports.
Very different from lands under the hand of the BLM.
C 1780, the eastern colonial States like NY CT Mass...gave any lands in the west to the Federal Government. Then there was the Louisiana Purchase and then other pieces....all Federal lands. The Feds reserved some lands when a new state was created.
Article IV, Clause 2 doesn’t agree with you.