Trump Replaces MLK Day and Juneteenth with His Birthday on National Park Fee-Free Calendar
A seemingly routine update to the National Park Service schedule has ignited a storm of controversy, sparking debates over history, politics, and national memory.
Changes to Fee-Free Days
Former President Donald Trump has drawn widespread criticism after altering the list of fee-free days at U.S. National Parks. His 2026 schedule removes two historically significant holidays—Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth—and adds a day honoring himself: his birthday on June 14, which coincides with Flag Day.
Under the new calendar, fee-free access will be available to Americans on 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.
MLK Day, observed each January to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy, and Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, had previously been included on the fee-free list under the Biden administration. Now, Americans will need an $80 annual pass to visit on these days, while international visitors face a $250 fee.
According to the Department of the Interior, the changes are part of a broader initiative to “modernize” the National Park Service, including adjustments to prioritize U.S. citizens over foreign visitors on certain free-entry dates. Despite Trump’s framing of his birthday as a “patriotic” celebration, non-U.S. citizens will still be required to pay.
Public Reaction
The decision has provoked immediate and widespread backlash online. Social media users expressed outrage at removing MLK Day and Juneteenth from the fee-free calendar while elevating Trump’s birthday.
Comments ranged from disbelief to sharp criticism:
“This man is so obsessed with himself, it’s unbelievable.”
“Replacing civil rights milestones with his own birthday is pathetic.”
“They call it modernizing, but it’s really rewriting history.”
Many questioned the motivations behind the move, with some highlighting the symbolic nature of the decision. Others called for action, urging that the holidays be reinstated under the next administration.
Some even pledged personal protest, vowing to pay for park visits on MLK Day and Juneteenth while refusing to participate in the free-entry day on Trump’s birthday.
Conclusion
Trump’s replacement of MLK Day and Juneteenth with his own birthday on the National Park Service’s fee-free calendar has sparked a heated national debate.
Beyond issues of access and fairness, the controversy underscores the symbolic power of public spaces and the holidays we choose to honor. For many, the debate is not about free entry—it’s about what America remembers and celebrates.