The Trump administration has revised the list of free entrance days for US national parks, removing observances including Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth while adding President Donald Trump’s birthday, which falls on June 14.
Eko Hot News reports that the US Department of the Interior introduced the updated “resident-only patriotic fee-free days” last month. The new schedule adds dates such as the Fourth of July weekend and President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, while removing internal departmental anniversaries previously recognised.
The revised policy restricts the free-entry benefits to US citizens and residents. Nonresidents will now pay standard fees, with some parks imposing an additional $100 charge for visitors above age 16.
MLK Day and Juneteenth, both part of the free-entry calendar for at least two years, were removed as the administration advances its broader agenda of eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal institutions.
The development follows President Trump’s recent criticism of Juneteenth, where he argued that the holiday contributes to “too many non-working holidays” and claimed it costs the US economy billions of dollars in lost productivity.
Earlier this year, Trump formalised his stance through an executive order that revoked a 2017 directive by former President Barack Obama aimed at supporting DEI initiatives within the federal workforce.
According to a USA Today report citing an internal Interior Department memo, national parks have also been instructed to pull merchandise promoting DEI themes from gift shops.
The Department of the Interior stated that the Park Service is reviewing retail items to ensure compliance with Secretary’s Order 3416, which seeks to eliminate “DEI programs and gender ideology extremism,” adding that adjustments will be made without disrupting visitor experience.
