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Did Trump cancel MLK Day 2026? Here's what will change this year
President Trump announced changes to federal holidays in 2026, removing Martin Luther King Jr. Day from free admission days at national parks.
President Donald Trump announced adjustments to two federal holidays in 2026 that will impact both residents and travelers. As part of these changes, the National Park Service removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from its list of free admission days at national parks and other sites that normally require entrance fees, meaning visitors will now have to pay to enter on those holidays.
Instead, the revised schedule of fee-free admission days will add June 14, President Trump's birthday, which also coincides with Flag Day, even though it is not a federal holiday. These updates mark a shift in how Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth will be observed in 2026, as reported by Knox News.
Also Read: When is Martin Luther King Jr Day 2026? See what is open and closed
Is MLK 2026 canceled by Trump?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on Monday, January 19. As a federal holiday, banks, courts, and most non-essential government services will be closed.
While MLK Day is one of the 11 federally recognized holidays in 2026, President Trump does not have the authority to eliminate an established federal holiday on his own. Any permanent change would require approval from Congress. However, the president can issue executive orders that temporarily alter how federal holidays are observed or administered by federal agencies, effective for one year.
What does this mean for MLK Day 2026?
This year, Trump exercised his executive authority to modify how Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth are observed. The US Department of the Interior confirmed that free admission will no longer be offered at national parks nationwide on those two dates, ending their status as fee-free days.
As a result of this change, visitors will be required to pay standard entrance fees to access national parks on those federal holidays. A portion of an alert from the interior department read, “Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the annual pass will cost $80 for U.S. residents and $250 for nonresidents, ensuring that American taxpayers who already support the National Park System receive the greatest benefit,” Knox News.
