Trump's "America Alone" to Discourage Foreign Tourists: Xenophobia at National Parks

Trump's new "executive order": Foreign Tourists Are Not Welcome
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Donald Trump orders entry fee, DEI changes at national parks
Eve Chen, USA TODAY
Updated Sun, July 6, 2025

Visiting America's national parks is about to get more expensive for international tourists, but that's not the only change President Donald Trump ordered that will impact park visitors.

A new executive order calls for charging non-U.S. residents higher fees for park entry and recreation passes, like the yearlong America the Beautiful pass, which grants access to public lands across federal agencies.

"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," Trump said in the order issued July 3.

"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," he said.

The order also calls for giving Americans "preferential treatment with respect to any remaining recreational access rules, including permitting or lottery rules."

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum echoed those commitments in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

TODAY: @POTUS announced a new executive order to adjust entrance fees for international visitors at national parks.

This action will:
✅ Secure affordable access for our communities and put American families first
✅ Ensure visitors from around the world contribute to…

— Secretary Doug Burgum (@SecretaryBurgum) July 4, 2025

Any revenue generated by higher fees from foreign tourists will be funneled back into infrastructure improvements and other enhancements across federal recreation sites. [But doesn't this xenophobic measure discourage foreign tourists and hence reduce the funds for such sublime objective?]

The Grand Canyon National Park welcome sign is seen from a view near Tusayan, Arizona, U.S. June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee

The executive order also revokes a presidential memorandum signed by then-President Barack Obama in 2017 that promoted a range of diversity and inclusion efforts in the management of national parks and other public lands.

It called for improving access for all Americans and "considering recommendations and proposals from diverse populations to protect at-risk historic, cultural, and natural sites."

Diversity and inclusion were also priorities for parks during the Biden administration.

Before leaving office in January, then National Park Service Director Chuck Sams told USA TODAY: "When I took my oath of office on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Secretary (Deb) Haaland said, on behalf of the president of the United States, myself and the American people, I'm charging you with these monuments, memorials and parks, but more importantly, we're charging you to find those stories that are less told or haven't been told yet, and to tell them fiercely."

"So over the last three-plus years, working all across the park system, we've been able to tell stories to ensure that every American sees a reflection of themselves in the parks," he said.

But the latest move comes after Trump on his first day back in office in January ordered an end to government diversity, equity, and inclusion programs established under Biden.

USA TODAY has reached out to the National Park Service for comment on the new executive order.