Trump Raises Park Fees for Foreign Visitors

President Donald Trump signed an executive order raising entrance and recreation pass fees for foreign visitors to U.S. national parks, aiming to generate over $90 million annually for reinvestment in park infrastructure and conservation. The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for developing specific implementation strategies. The order also gives American citizens priority access to reservation and permitting systems and revokes an Obama-era diversity and inclusion policy for park management. Critics are concerned that the move coincides with proposed deep funding cuts to the National Park Service and question whether increased foreign visitor fees will adequately offset budget and staffing shortfalls. The policy applies to most fee-charging parks, including Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion, while Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains largely exempt due to legal reasons. Exact fee amounts and enforcement details have not yet been announced.