To celebrate civil rights leader MLK Jr. and the end of slavery in the US, the US National Park Service (NPS) is adding Flag Day, which is also Trump’s birthday, as a fee-free patriotic day.
The move is part of President Donald Trump’s modernisation of the park service, which, beginning in 2026, also includes changing the parks’ cost structure to favour American citizens over foreign visitors, following a July executive order from Trump.
People who are not US citizens will still have to pay fees on the fee-free dates, the NPS said.
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For the 2026 calendar year, US residents will be granted free access to national parks on Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day/President Trump’s birthday, Independence Day weekend, the 110th birthday of the National Park Service, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday and Veterans’ Day.
Previously, Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth were both deemed fee-free entry days by the Biden administration.
Under the Trump administration’s new rules, US residents will continue to pay $80 (£60) for an annual park service pass.
But for non-residents, the cost will rise from $80 to $250, the Department of the Interior, which oversees the park service, announced last month. Those without a pass will now pay $100 per person, in addition to the standard entrance fee, at 11 of the most visited parks.
“President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
“These policies ensure that US taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” Burgum’s statement continued.
In May, the department estimated in its budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year that surcharges for foreign visitors would bring in more than $90 million per year.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has targeted Juneteenth and MLK Jr Day.
On his first day in office this year, Trump issued an executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes from federal agencies, which led many agencies to bar celebrations of holidays seen as DEI-related, including MLK Jr Day and Juneteenth. However, the two dates remain national holidays.
BBC/ Wumi