• Trump's executive order raises national park entrance fees for foreign visitors.
• The revenue generated aims to support conservation projects and address budget cuts.
• U.S. residents will receive priority access in reservation systems.
• National Park Service faces a staffing crisis due to budget cuts over 33%.
• Visitor admissions surged to 331 million in the previous year despite budget challenges.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that raises entrance fees at U.S. national parks for foreign visitors. This directive aims to generate additional revenue, which the White House estimates could total hundreds of millions of dollars, to support conservation and deferred maintenance projects within the national parks system. The order instructs the Interior Department, overseer of the National Park Service, to formulate a new fee structure, although details on specific fee increases or implementation timelines remain unclear, according to CBS News, India Times, and Reuters.

The executive order emphasizes that U.S. residents will receive priority access to national parks over foreign visitors, particularly concerning permit and reservation systems. The rationale behind this move is that American taxpayers already significantly fund these parks through both their entry fees and federal taxes. This policy aims to rectify what was perceived as inequities, as U.S. visitors frequently subsidized the experience for international tourists, according to CBS News and Reuters.

The announcement of higher fees comes at a time when the Trump administration has proposed slashing over $1 billion—more than a third—of the National Park Service's budget for fiscal year 2026. This reduction has exacerbated staffing crises across numerous parks, which have experienced a 24% decline in permanent staff since Trump took office. The administration's failure to hire sufficient seasonal workers—only 4,500 of the promised 8,000—has led to program reductions and operational challenges, as noted by the National Parks Conservation Association, according to India Times and Reuters.

As visitor numbers at national parks continue to rise significantly, hitting 331 million in the previous year—a 6 million increase from 2023—the ongoing cuts and changes to fee structures may further complicate park management and visitor experiences, according to India Times and Reuters.