Donald Trump has stirred major backlash after altering the list of free-admission days for US National Parks — cutting two historically significant holidays while inserting one that honours himself.
Over the weekend, it was revealed that the National Park Service (NPS) will no longer waive entrance fees on Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Juneteenth. Instead, Trump’s own birthday, June 14 — which coincides with the national holiday Flag Day — has been added to the 2026 fee-free calendar, alongside Independence Day weekend and the birthday of President Theodore Roosevelt.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, observed each January on the Monday closest to the civil rights icon’s birthday, commemorates his legacy as a pastor, activist, and central figure in the Civil Rights Movement. Juneteenth, observed every June 19, marks the end of slavery in the United States.
According to the BBC, the changes fall under Trump’s plan to “modernize” the National Park Service beginning in 2026. The initiative also restructures park fees to advantage US citizens over foreign visitors, following an executive order he issued in July.
Although Trump added his own birthday as a “patriotic” free-entry date, the NPS clarified that non-US citizens will still be required to pay fees, even on fee-free days.
For 2026, Americans will be able to enter national parks at no cost on the following dates: President’s Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day/Trump’s birthday, Independence Day weekend, the National Park Service’s 110th anniversary, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, and Veterans Day.
Under the Biden administration, both MLK Day and Juneteenth were included on the fee-free list. Now, US residents will need to purchase an $80 (£60) annual pass, while international visitors will face a much steeper $250 (£187.62) fee, the Department of the Interior recently announced.
Public reaction online has been swift and angry. One X (Twitter) user wrote:
“This man is so obsessed with himself, it’s unbelievable.”
Another added:
“He removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the free-entry schedule and replaced them with HIS OWN birthday. Who else thinks that’s pathetic?”
A third person commented:
“They’re calling it ‘modernizing’ the park calendar. But what’s really happening is a rewriting of national memory — and pretending it’s policy is dangerous.”
Others openly questioned the motivations behind the decision, with one user asking:
“What explanation could there be that isn’t rooted in racism?”
Another wrote:
“National Parks will no longer honour MLK Day or Juneteenth with free entry — but they will honour Donald Trump’s birthday. That’s not satire. That’s the new reality.”
Some called for immediate action:
“These holidays must be reinstated by the next President — if not sooner.”
And one user vowed personal protest:
“I’ll visit National Parks on MLK Day and Juneteenth and pay the fee. But I absolutely refuse to go for free on Trump’s birthday.”
