Trump Removes MLK Day From Free Park List, Adds His Birthday Instead - Newsom Fires Back

For 15 years, Americans could walk into any national park for free on Martin Luther King Jr Day. That tradition ended this year.

The Trump administration quietly dropped MLK Day and Juneteenth from the National Park Service's fee-free calendar late last year. The replacement? Flag Day on 14 June, which happens to be President Donald Trump's birthday. The Department of the Interior, led by Secretary Doug Burgum, labelled the 2026 dates 'resident-only patriotic fee-free days' in a November announcement that drew immediate backlash from civil rights groups, NBC News reported.

California Governor Gavin Newsom punched back on Friday. In a press statement, he directed more than 200 state parks to offer free entry on Monday to honour Dr King, with the California State Parks Foundation picking up the tab rather than taxpayers.

'While Trump works to erase Dr King's legacy, California will honour it,' Newsom said. 'Dr King taught us that darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.'

At a press conference the same day, the governor put it more bluntly. 'MLK Day has now been shifted to Trump Day,' he said. 'Again, what more evidence do we need on what the hell is going on in the United States of America?'

What Changed And Why It Matters

The National Park Service launched free entry days back in 2009. MLK Day joined the list in 2011, and Juneteenth followed in 2021 after Congress voted to make 19 June a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery. Both are now gone from the 2026 calendar.

The new lineup retains Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans' Day. It adds Independence Day weekend, Constitution Day in September, the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service in August, and Theodore Roosevelt's birthday in October. National Public Lands Day and the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act got axed too.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson did not mince words. 'Removing MLK Day and Juneteenth from the national parks calendar is more than petty politics - it's an attack on the truth of this nation's history,' he said in a statement condemning the decision.

Kristen Brengel of the National Parks Conservation Association pointed to the practical fallout. Community groups had come to rely on free admission to run volunteer clean-up projects on MLK Day. 'Not only does it recognise an American hero, but it's also a day when people go into parks to clean them up,' she told The Guardian. 'For some reason, Black history has repeatedly been targeted by this administration.'

California Goes Its Own Way

Newsom's announcement covers parks from Big Basin Redwoods and Half Moon Bay to Folsom Lake and Lake Oroville. Off-highway vehicle areas and spots charging per-person fees like Hearst Castle still require payment.

State Senator Akilah Weber Pierson backed the governor's decision. 'As the federal government eliminates fee-free park days for holidays that celebrate Black history, California continues to revel in the glory of our civil rights pioneers,' she said.

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also weighed in. 'Dr King's birthday should be a day when we open doors wider, not slam them shut,' she said in the governor's statement.

Higher Fees For Foreign Visitors

The changes to fee-free days came alongside a broader overhaul of park pricing. Annual passes that cost $80 (£64) for everyone now run $250 (£202) for non-residents. Foreign tourists face an extra $100 (£81) per person at 11 of the busiest parks, including Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. The Interior Department reckons the surcharges will bring in more than $90 million (£73 million) a year.

Fee-free days in 2026 now apply only to US citizens and residents. About 100 of the country's 400 national park sites charge entrance fees, with costs varying by location.

MLK Day itself remains a federal holiday. Banks, post offices, courts, and schools are closed on Monday. The third Monday of January has honoured the civil rights leader since 1986, nearly two decades after his assassination in Memphis.

Originally published on IBTimes UK