National Park Service eliminates free admission on MLK Day and Juneteenth, includes Trump's birthday in new policy

WASHINGTON Starting next year, the National Park Service will grant free entry to U.S. residents on President Donald Trump's birthday, which coincides with Flag Day, while discontinuing the free admission previously offered on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.

This adjustment in free admission days highlights a shift in focus by the Trump administration, prioritizing the president's recognition while reducing emphasis on key civil rights commemorations. Last year, MLK Day and Juneteenth were included as free admission days, whereas Trumps birthday was not.

The updated policy, effective January 1, 2026, is part of several changes by the Park Service, including higher fees for international visitors. Other designated free admission days in 2026 will include Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day, President Theodore Roosevelts birthday on October 27, and the Park Services anniversary on August 25.

Removing Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth which marks the emancipation of the last enslaved Americans in 1865 eliminates two of the nations most prominent civil rights observances. Civil rights advocates have expressed strong opposition to the decision.

Cornell William Brooks, a Harvard Kennedy School professor and former NAACP president, condemned the policy on social media, describing it as racially insensitive. Kristen Brengel from the National Parks Conservation Association emphasized that MLK Day is widely used by community groups for volunteer work in parks, making its elimination particularly concerning.

"Martin Luther King Jr. deserves a day of recognition," Brengel stated. "Its also a day when people actively contribute to maintaining parks. For some reason, Black history continues to be overlooked, and this change exemplifies that."

Democratic lawmakers also criticized the new policy. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said, "The President didnt just add his own birthday to the list, he removed holidays that honor Black Americans struggle for civil rights and freedom. Our country deserves better."

The National Park Service has not provided a detailed explanation for the changes. Critics note that these decisions reflect a broader pattern of minimizing diversity-focused programs and downplaying the history of racial injustice in the United States, while simultaneously promoting the presidents personal legacy.

Author: Olivia Parker