Anger as National Parks grant free access on Trump's birthday -- and end it for MLK day

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Raw Story

December 6, 2025 5:51AM ET


“Why is MLK Day not worthy of a fee-free day anymore?” That’s what Kati Schmidt, communications director for the National Parks Conservation Association, wondered in an email to SFGATE, which reported Thursday on the National Park Service’s recently announced free admission days for 2026.

“That has become a day of service throughout the country as well as celebrating an American hero who has several park units celebrating his legacy,” Schmidt noted of the federal holiday honoring Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. each January.

In addition to MLK Day, three other previously free days were left off the US Department of the Interior’s announcement last week about “resident-only patriotic fee-free days.” Visitors will now have to pay park fees on National Public Lands Day, the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act—which President Donald Trump signed in 2020—and Juneteenth.

In 2021, Congress passed and then-President Joe Biden signed legislation designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. After returning to the White House in January, Trump declined to recognize it on this past June 19.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/alternet-posts/national-parks-trump-2674374939/

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Link to SFGATE article - National parks change prioritizes Trump birthday over days honoring Black people

As I say over and over - call them out as racists to their faces. It's the only thing they recoil about.

They thrive on insulting women and embrace being called "sexists", brag about being homophobes and transphobes when it comes to their hatred of LGBTQ people.

But call them "racists" and they'll squeal like little piggies.

[Irish_Dem]

1. The courage, service, great leadership are all being erased.

The most important Americans in our history all ignored.

While a traitor, rapist, felon, who is destroying our country has his name plastered everywhere.

[electric_blue68]

2. R-A-C-I-S-T-S !!!

Such nasty, scummy people!
"Patriotic"? Riiiiiight. 😑😬

[kacekwl]

3. He's a fucking racist.

Prove me wrong. I dare you.

[Evolve Dammit]

4. his Dad was arrested at a KKK rally. This is who he always was. Central Park 5....

[twodogsbarking]

5. Better to have free admission for a week the day after he, well, dies.

[paleotn]

6. THAT'S going to be a national holiday.

[Ilsa]

7. They could at least mzke it fee-free on days that

celebrate the great outdoors and public lands.

Trump doesn't know squat about the great outdoors. He knows country club outdoors, like golf and tennis. He only knows football from the comfort of owners' suites. I bet he's never been on a hike, even a short one. And I'd bet he's only been to one or two national parks.

[IzzaNuDay]

15. Never seen him "roughing it"

I’m wondering why all those MAGA hunters don’t invite him to partake in hunting!

[popsdenver]

8. You know the answer to that

as well as all of us do.............

[mdbl]

9. Dump's Birthday was one of the darkest days for our planet.

[COL Mustard]

18. Wasn't he born around the same time....

As the Roswell incident took place? I'm just asking questions, kind of like Fucker Carlson would.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. Donny is a racist piece of shit

Nothing more

[hunter]

12. It would be a good time for protests at the park gates.

No Kings!

[COL Mustard]

19. Boycott the parks on those days.

I have a pass that gets me in free for life. I still wouldn't want to go on those days.

[Dulcinea]

13. This will be reversed...

...when this asswipe finally leaves office or meets his demise. And yes, it will happen.

[the_liberal_grandpa]

14. Free days can still happen I think.

I have spent weeks at a time in Yosemite National Park and I can tell you that there are many days when no one is working the entrance gates to collect fees. Usually its related to air quality (smoke) or some meeting that all park rangers must attend. So, I think that it's possible park employees could just not show up to work the gates on MLK's birthday and Public Lands Day.

I also think the orange assholes birthday could be designated as a day to boycott national parks.

And don't forget that foreigners are going to be paying a boatload of money to get in the parks when they are open so I would expect that visitation may drop a bit next year.

[maliaSmith]

16. Black voters

21 % of Black men voted for Trump. You can thank them for this. They actually voted for a racist like Trump.

[Rebl2]

17. Not surprised

at all that he did this. Not happy about it, but not surprised. Remember, it’s all about him.