As the summer heats up, President Trump is tackling reports of over-tourism in an executive order "Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks."
"From the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon to the tranquility of the Great Smoky Mountains, America’s national parks have provided generations of American families with unforgettable memories," said the order issued on July 3, 2025.
"It is the policy of my Administration to preserve these opportunities for American families in future generations by increasing entry fees for foreign tourists, improving affordability for United States residents, and expanding opportunities to enjoy America’s splendid national treasures," declared President Trump.
Doug Burgum, the current secretary of the Department of the Interior, will be responsible for raising the prices of entrance fees and recreation passes for foreign tourists within the National Park System. The executive order designates that the extra funding raised by these increased fees must be used to improve federal recreational areas.
In his executive order, Trump calls on the Secretary of the Interior to remove any unnecessary access rules and to give preferential treatment in any remaining recreational access rules to American citizens. In its 2026 fiscal year budget proposal released in May, the Interior Department estimated that implementing a surcharge on foreign tourists would generate more than $90 million annually.
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Out of the 425 locations operated by the National Park Service, only 109 charge an entrance fee. The Park Service also offers a more comprehensive "America the Beautiful" pass, which costs $80 and can be used at all national parks nationwide.
Last year, 331,863,358 people visited America's national parks, according to the National Park Service. The most popular parks were the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Grand Canyon, and Yosemite National Park.
President Trump announced his "America First" solution last Thursday when he spoke at a "Salute to America" event at the Iowa State Fair.
"To fund improvements and enhanced experiences across the park system, I've just signed an executive order to raise entrance fees for foreign tourists while keeping prices low for Americans," said President Trump. "The national parks will be about America first."
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